With Clouds Come Storms
by BloodVesselsandBacks
Summary: A maid shouldn't get involved with the mafia's business, but what if she turns out to be the Vongola's best kept secret? Cheyenne has been maid for the Varia since she was eight. She thought she had seen it all, but she didn't know what she was getting herself into when she was flung on a plane and arrived in Namimori with an Arcobaleno in tow.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 : Shower Disturbance**

* * *

"Che-chan?! Be a dear and come here!" Lussuria called me from upstairs and I perked up. I had been folding and refolding the recently washed clothes, hoping for something to do. The mansion was huge, but thanks to my diligence and some help from Mr. Hohome, the head butler, it was always cleaned quickly.

"Oh my goodness! This is a disaster!" He sounded horrified and I became worried. Did Lussuria get hurt? Worst case scenario, his nail broke or something. My legs pattered up the stairs and I rushed to his screams. Just as I was going into the room he was in, he pushed me out and closed the door.

"Mama? What's wrong?"

"Mah! I've never seen such a disgusting room! It's embarrassing!" Dramatics coming into play, Lussuria placed his hand on his forehead, leaning back.

"No wonder he doesn't let anyone in his room!" I didn't realize until after I figured out what was going on that we were in front of Belphegor's room. The Prince? Wasn't he all about perfection and being the best?

Thinking aloud to myself, I mumbled, "What does Bel-sama's room look like?" A hand planted on my back and a surgical mask, cleaning spray, mop, broom, water bucket, a basket suddenly appeared in Lussuria's other hand. Tilting my head, I grabbed the objects and watched him in confusion.

"I don't want you to see such horrible things, but I'm afraid I have no choice." Gulping, I looked at the door. It sounded as if I was going to die.

"Mama...didn't you just say it was disgusting?" Nodding furiously, Lussuria opened the door tentatively and shoved me in there, door slamming and darkness greeting me.

"I'm so sorry, Che-chan! But please...clean that pig pen!" When I heard the footsteps go away, I exhaled, resigning. My finger flicked on the light and I tilted my head, really not understanding the big deal. Shrugging, I picked up the basket and began putting the clothes strewn on the ground into it. A sharp wind noise whizzed near my head and I ducked, only for another to trigger and nearly cut my ear clean.

"Eep!" Now I understood what Lussuria was talking about. Belphegor had knife traps everywhere. There was nothing I could do; I had no idea where they were so I had no choice but to clean cautiously. This was a great opportunity, though! His room was locked and bolted shut in order to "ward off peasants", but now I could clean it! He was currently on a mission that could potentially take a week. Although I enjoyed the prince's company, I worked much slower when he was following me all day and making me do menial tasks.

After finishing with picking up the clothes, dusting the furniture, and organizing his closet, I collected the knives that were triggered.

"Why does Bel-sama have to have so many knives?" Frowning, I placed said knives in an empty drawer before leaving an apology note.

 _"I'm sorry, Bel-sama. Mama begged me to clean your room. He said it was disgusting, but I'm sure you're not disgusting. : )_

 _Your shirts are in color order along with your boots and pants. I was too embarrassed to organize your underwear. X.X If it helps, I think they are very nice looking. Please don't be mad. I can organize it later if you want._

 _The knives are on your nightstand. I didn't mean for them to set off, it just happened. One of them cut off a bit of my hair. (Don't worry I cleaned it up!) The clothes on the ground are clean now, too._

 _I hope you'll be pleased. :3 ~Cheyenne"_

I left the room to do laundry, satisfied with my note. His clothes weren't dirty; I just thought he would appreciate the gesture. Humming, I heard Squalo in the laundry room grumbling and yelling at the machines. I smiled.

"VOI! PIECE OF SHIT LAUNDRY MACHINE!"

"Squ-kun? Do you need help?" He turned around and swung his sword to cut my head off, most likely, but I ducked in time. You had to learn a few things to be a maid for Varia. They were merciless. Blinking, he noticed it was only me.

"I need to wash my clothes, but this," he kicked the washing machine, "STUPID WASHING MACHINE DOESN'T WORK!" Squalo almost tried stabbing it, but I waved my hands, begging not to.

"Ah! Squ-kun, please be gentle! That's the third washing machine we had to buy this week!" A growl bubbled from his throat, but he handed me his clothes, took off his jacket and gave it to me to wash.

"Hurry up." Saluting him, I urgently put down Belphegor's basket to wash Squalo's first. Smiling and giggling to myself, I noticed that Squalo hadn't rotated the time wheel. That was the only reason it wasn't working and I felt bad for the machine knowing that Squalo nearly stabbed it for a mistake that he made. A happy squeal from upstairs made me grin even wider. Lussuria dashed downstairs yelling my name. When he reached me, he picked me up and swung me around in joy.

"It's so clean~ Che-chan you're an angel!" He rubbed his cheek against mine.

"Thank you, Mama." Putting me down, Lussuria noticed that I was washing clothes.

"Che-chan...don't you think you work too much?" Mammon materialized into the room with a stack of money in his hands, counting it.

"No. She works just enough to save me fifty-six thousand, one hundred and twenty-three dollars a year. She is the only maid we need, really. Maybe if we fired Lucia..." He rifled through his stack of cash and frowned.

"We could be saving nearly one hundred thousand if we fired Alicia and Lucia. Those twins are a waste of space." Placing his hands on his cheek and wiggling his hips, Lussuria pouted and protested.

"But Alicia plays dress up for me! And Lucia is really smart and she helps me sew! You can't get rid of them~" Mammon sweat dropped and shook his head.

"I think I'll get on their termination papers...soon." A pen and paper appeared from nowhere as Mammon sat on my shoulder. Lussuria frowned and droped it, but turned to me joyfully.

"Don't worry, Che-chan, you're still the princess here." He pinched my cheeks and puckered his lips.

"Cute~" A small hand whacks away his face and Mammon frowns.

"Let her work."

"Mah! Well, I'll start on dinner while Che-chan finishes the laundry." My head tilts as I watched Lussuria, the striped sweaters, and white wife -beaters being folded.

"Mama, you don't have to. I'm almost finished folding."

"So quickly?!" Smirking, the Arcobaleno on my shoulder pulled out another stack of cash and began counting obnoxiously.

* * *

After everyone, excluding Xanxus and Belphegor, ate dinner, I took it upon myself to bring Xanxus food. I made a rib-eye steak, marinated in red wine along with sautéed tomato and mushroom pasta. The instant I opened the door, a wine glass cracked a few inches from my face.

"What do you want?" His gruff voice echoed in the room and I dusted my hair off, removing any piece of debris that remained. Grinning, I noticed that he was in a significantly better mood. He would usually call me 'scum' or 'trash' and made sure that the glass hit me, but today, none of those things happened.

"Xanxus, I brought you din-"

"I don't want it. Bring me some rum." Frowning I pushed the rolling table in the room with the plates of food on it, feeling stubborn. Xanxus scowled and his voice became angry.

"What the fuck did I just say? Get that shit out of here. I just wanted alcohol." Crossing my arms, I trudged over to him and placed the plates in front of him.

"Eat." He growled and I revised my request.

"Please eat, Xanxus-sama. It's important for your health."

"Since when do I give a shit about my health?" There was amusement in his eyes as he watched me sputter for an answer. He picked up his knife and fork, cutting into the steak.

"Bring me some fucking wine." A wide smile appeared on my face as I saw him shove some of the meat into his mouth. I ran off to get him what he requested.

I had been working for the Varia since Tyr was the boss. I didn't really like him, but I could have been delusional. After all, I was only eight when I started working there. Mammon, Lussuria, and Levi had been there only a bit longer than me, but Levi considered himself my elder. When Belphegor joined, he would pick on me and call me a peasant, much like now. He didn't purposely cut me anymore, though, unless he was really bored.

Squalo came shortly after, calling me a brat constantly, but out of all the people in the Varia, he got along with me best. I never complained or got bratty with him, unlike Belphegor, who would constantly annoy him. Said man killed Tyr and became boss for a short amount of time before Xanxus came to power. And again, Xanxus almost never threw things at me, only doing so on particularly bad days. That habit seemed to apply to me more in later years, though. Time seemed to have made him grumpier.

The boss was nicer to me than the other members since he clearly stated:

 _"All of you are fucking annoying, except for that maid. She brings me wine."_

It wasn't much, but knowing how the gruff boss acted, that was enough for me to be satisfied.

I was born into servitude. My whole family on my mother's side had been serving the Vongola family for years so it was only natural for me to follow in their footsteps. Originally, I was to work for Iemitsu, but said man pushed me away, saying he didn't need such a young servant. The Cavallone family gave me the choice to work for them or the Varia.

My mother begged me to choose the Cavallones for reasons that I understood now that I was older. Younger me didn't know the implications, but when I saw the 'adorable' Arcobaleno baby, my choice was easy. Naturally, I was intrigued that a baby could talk and count money like he did, but I got over it and became fast friends with the baby. He seemed pleased, too, knowing that he would get a maid free of charge.

Rushing back to Xanxus's office, I grinned when he chucked another empty glass at my head, missing. Bringing him the wine bottle, he yanked it from my grip and drank straight from the bottle. He noticed my smile and scoffed.

"The fuck are you smiling at?"

"I'm happy I work for the Varia." A pause in the clanking of plates made me look at him. Xanxus stared at me, not knowing why I said that.

"...fucking idiot. Get out of my office." Bowing, I did as he said, but not before receiving a good glass to the back of my head. It was bleeding. I felt the wetness and pondered.

"I guess I'll have to stitch myself up."

* * *

Once I reached my bed, I sighed, overjoyed that I could rest. Squalo yelled at me for putting fabric softener on his clothes. It wasn't my fault that I wanted him to comfortable. He claimed that it was 'itchy', but I think it was a matter of pride and not itchiness. He eventually gave up after I apologized profusely and gave him an extra serving of food. Groaning, I realized I hadn't showered yet.

Although I didn't feel like it, I remembered Lussuria saying that, "only nasty girls don't shower every day. You're a pretty princess so you have to do it." Gathering my clothes, I went to bathe myself. It was half past one. In the morning. It was a handful being the only maid that worked. To be honest, I didn't even have to work as hard as I did, but it made me happy hearing the Varia's small praises here and there.

Turning the tap, I stepped in and shivered in delight when the warm water trickled on my back. I washed my hair and lathered in soap when I heard a noise that made me freeze. I turned off the shower and the noise came again. My heart beat against my chest, but I sighed in relief when I heard an even louder bang in the room next to mine followed by a loud 'VOI!' Knowing that Squalo was on the scene made me feel way safer.

"FUCKING LITTLE SHIT! GET BACK HERE!" Feeling the door to my room burst open, I fumbled to get out of the bathtub, tripping and falling with a smack on my butt. Stars flashed in my vision and the air was knocked out of me. Breathing hard and panting, I didn't notice when a small figure jumped into the bathtub with me, landing on my stomach. Gasping, I saw an Arcobaleno baby with a motorcycle helmet on his head. Not even having time to question it, Squalo burst open the bathroom.

"VOIIIIIIIII! GET OUT OF CHEYENNE'S ROOM!" The baby squeezed his eyes shut and clung to me. Feeling pity, I hugged him and whispered comfortingly. When Squalo peeled back the curtain, a few distinct emotions flashed in his eyes. First, anger then confusion and finally his face was set ablaze once he saw the baby resting on a very naked, very confused me. His eye twitched before he left, slamming the door on his way out. Sighing, I stared down at the baby, who was still clinging to my neck fearfully.

"Hey. What's your name?" My voice was soft and sympathetic as I gently smiled at the Arcobaleno baby.

"S -Skull."

"Hi, Skull. It's nice to meet you, but would you please get off of me?"

* * *

"This is a waste of time. And time is money." Mammon hissed as Skull wrung his hands together, nervous. The entire Varia woke up after Squalo had a fit. Supposedly, the baby sneaked into his room, commanding Squalo to show him where Viper was, Viper being Mammon. I only had one question. Why was the baby here to begin with? Skull was sitting on my lap as I bounced him on my leg. He didn't seem to want to be near any other member or person aside from me.

"Reborn told me that there was a cure to the curse." Everything was silent after he said that small thing.

"Now I have your attention!" Smiling, I rubbed his head. He was adorable.

"Well? Spit it out." Scratching his head, Skull didn't know how to describe to Mammon what Reborn said.

"A ah...I'll call him." Mammon facepalmed at his forgetfulness. It rung one time before a familiar 'ciaosu' could be heard. To be frank, I had no idea who this 'Reborn' person was, but he had to be someone important if Mammon was so eager to hear from him.

"The lackey forgot, didn't he?" Skull protested and I squeaked at how adorable the purple-loving Arcobaleno was. I brought him to my face and nuzzled his cheek.

"Cute." The baby blushed and forgot everything he was mad about. He climbed onto my shoulder, just as Mammon would.

"I eavesdropped on Verde and borrowed some blueprints-"

"You mean stole?" The purple Arcobaleno laughed and Reborn completely ignored him.

"There are a lot of theories, but there's a recurring cure." Squalo growled and stomped to his room, Lussuria following in his trek by going to his own. This discussion was irrelevant to them and they knew better than to try to understand anything they were saying. The members dispersed aside from Skull, Mammon, and me. I was curious.

"Cheyenne." Humming in reply to Mammon, I smiled at him.

"You can leave, too." Shaking my head, I had a determined look.

"I want to help, too! You always complain about the 'curse' right? Maybe I can be helpful." Mammon sighed and allowed me to remain in the room. The babies continued the conversation.

"When they of malicious intent, scars of which there is trifle, home to none, but one comes, then will there be strife. Only one can contain the hearth and such is the grail of hope for the clear prism of the people." My brain seemed to melt. I understood very little from that because, well, I didn't receive an education. The only thing I knew was how to fight and clean. All brawn, no brain. Skull scratched his head, too. Only Mammon had a semblance of an idea of what was said.

"Why is it a riddle? He did it on purpose." Reborn chuckled.

"The Ninth said it wasn't his doing. That's a riddle from long before his time. Vongola Primo is said to be the only one who knows the answers. I think Verde is trying to resurrect the Primo." The room was silent and Mammon had a somewhat worried look.

"The Vendice wouldn't let that happen." Mammon frowned and shook his head. Shaking, I was afraid when I heard the Vendice being mentioned. Those soulless guys scared me.

"I agree. That's not it, though. The Vendice are the least of our worries. For now, I'll let Verde continue. He doesn't seem to be doing anything illegal. We must train the Tenth first. Then, we figure out what that riddle means. Ciao." An exaggerated silence followed and the line was hung up. Shaking his head, Mammon shooed Skull away. Said Arcobaleno saluted him and ran off. Disappointment flashed in my visage before Mammon landed on my shoulder.

"Take me to bed." Nodding in compliance, I went off to do as he told. The baby flopped on the mattress, but just when I was about to leave, he beckoned me back.

"I want your insight. Do you know what any of that meant?" Even if he knew that I was uneducated, maybe I could provide some kind of childish opinion.

"I'm not sure, but it all sounds really bad..."

"Okay. Good enough." Taking that as my cue to leave, I went to my room to sleep. Contemplating what I said, Mammon frowned.

It was such a simple statement and yet it meant so much.

* * *

 **If there are any errors, PM me and I will rectify them as soon as I can! If you have any character/episode/plot you want me to write about, tell me and I might include it! Please leave a review! I love reading them!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 : Scary Movies and Soft Shoulders**

* * *

The alarm rang in my ear annoyingly and I smiled. It was time to wake up. Looking at it, I saw that it was 5:00am, a good time to get up. Being the heavy sleepers that they were, the Varia woke up at noon for brunch before beginning the day's activities. I always woke up early to clean and organize the house. More often than not, by the time I woke up, something would be out of place or destroyed, usually by Belphegor's mischievous games. Today, I might have the pleasure of not cleaning anything since the prince was on his mission.

Getting dressed in my usual uniform, consisting of a gray skirt, a white button up and navy blue sweater with the Varia insignia sewed on it, courtesy of Lussuria. It was comfortable aside from the fact that I had to wear knee socks and a short skirt. Belphegor was to thank for that, saying something along the lines of 'the peasant must look good for the prince'. I left my room to begin the housework. First, I went to the kitchen to make myself some food, but Squalo was at the counter, angry at the toaster. Facepalming, I hoped that he hadn't destroyed it. He, for what seemed like the millionth time in his lifetime, swung his sword in my direction, I, of course, ducked.

"Oh. Didn't hit you, right?" I gave him a thumbs up and a smile.

"Why are you awake, Squ-kun?" Grumbling, he scowled.

"I didn't sleep. I was training all night." My smile tilted downward into a worried frown. That seemed to be the only thing he did these days. Train, missions, train, get hit by a wine glass, train, repeat.

"Why so much training? You're already the strongest swordsman in the world."

"I know, but the boss wants us to fight the fucking Vongola kids. 'Says it'll be in some years. Don't know why, though." He shook his head and stared angrily at the toaster before turning back to me.

"Xanxus is always up to crazy stuff." A knowing smile came on my lips as I 'tsked'. Poor, Squalo. He seemed like such an asshole, and looked like one, too, but he was the most considerate member of all of them.

"Fucking bastard."

"What's wrong with the toaster, Squ-kun?" Remembering why he was here in the first place, he kicked the toaster across the room.

"PIECE OF SHIT TOASTER DOESN'T FUCKING TOAST!" Giggling, I watched as Squalo seethed. Walking over to the machine, there was a huge dent in it, rendering it useless regardless of what the problem was before.

"Uh-oh. Mammon is gonna be mad." The shark man shrugged and had a wry grin contort onto his face.

"I don't give a shit about that baby!" A wine glass hit him in the head and when he turned around, it was Xanxus walking into the kitchen, a vein throbbing in his forehead.

"It's too early for this fucking shit. Shut the fuck up, Shark Fucker." Squalo protested.

"VVVVOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIII!" Xanxus sauntered over to the wine holder and grabbed a bottle, opening it and drinking from the bottle straight.

"Xanxus? Would you like some breakfast?" Putting down the glass he gave me a look and I saluted, getting ready to prepare something for the boss.

"Actually, scum, I wanted some toast, but some dumbass broke the motherfucking toaster." Daggers were currently being stared in Squalo's direction and said man had nothing to retort with.

"VOI!" Another glass broke on his head, drenching his white hair in red. Squalo was royally pissed, not only from not getting sleep, also from the toaster, Xanxus's stupid plan kill the Tenth, and Xanxus himself. He had it and stomped off to wash his wine-stained hair, growling and complaining. I stared at Xanxus in interest.

"I thought you hated toast?"

"I do." And with that, he calmly went back to his office, drinking wine the whole way.

* * *

"Ah. Squ-kun, p-please!" This happened often, but luckily no one knew about it. If the members found out, they would never let Squalo live it down. Wetness dripped down his back and on his pants. I was becoming bothered, Squalo wouldn't stop moving.

"Come on! You expect me to stay still?!" My hands lathered his hair with the shampoo and I sighed while smiling.

 _(You thought dirty, didn't you?)_

"Yes, I do. It will be over quicker if you just stop moving." After being pelted with two wine-filled glasses, Squalo had to wash his hair, but had no way to wash all of it without missing a couple of spots. Usually, I would wash his hair before he took his shower to make sure his hair was 'in pristine condition'. The Varia had no idea we did this, but Squalo was, after all, good at hiding things. Also, he would never mention it out loud, but it was relaxing. A complete contrast to the members, including himself, I was a nice presence to have around. So much that Xanxus was slightly less grumpy when I visited him. I clapped and washed my hands.

"Done! You can do your thing now." When I was about to leave the bathroom, I heard an almost inaudible 'thanks'.

I smiled.

* * *

Sitting on my shoulder as I viciously tried to remove a stain from one of the plates, Mammon ran numbers and papers through his mind as he considered buying a better dish soap. Me trying to remove a simple stain with this cheap, knock-off soap was taking too much time that I could be spending doing something more productive.

"...Would you clean better if I bought some of the Dawn soap?" I nearly dropped the plate when I heard him. Bought and Mammon don't exactly work in the same sentence. But I considered his offer, pouting at the small, black smudge.

"Yes." The baby disappeared and I smiled. He could have his moments. Reappearing just as quickly as he disappeared, he gave me said soap.

"Now I can fire Lucia and Alicia. They're Lussuria's servants anyway." Eyes bugging out, I gaped at his sudden decision. Somewhere in the house, Lussuria sneezed.

* * *

My waist was beginning to hurt, feeling the corset tighten even more. I was close to suffocating, or breaking a rib or worse: rupturing an internal organ. Lussuria was merciless, though, saying things like 'if you loved me, you would deal with it' 'you owe me for Lucia and Alicia being fired'. I suddenly felt like being with Squalo was much better. The only person enjoying this boring, mortifying form of torture was Lussuria.

"Mah! You look as cute as a button! Imagine if some boys saw you in this dress! They would be all over you!" He squealed and blew a kiss at me. Out of nowhere, Squalo came into the room and stopped his yelling short to see me.

"...LUSSUR- ...That's cruel punishment." Nodding, I motioned for him to help me when Lussuria put his hands on his hips sassily, denying his claim wholeheartedly.

"This isn't punishment! Cheyenne was being my model and doesn't she look precious?" Lussuria damn near sparkled as he wiggled like a worm. Giving a thumbs down, Squalo left the room, letting me endure the pain on my own. Evil.

"Che-chan! I had a great idea." I was near the brink of tears.

"When little Bel gets back, we'll show him just how much of a princess you are!" Paling, I shook my head vigorously and began crying.

"Please, no! He'll make fun of me for the rest of my life! This dress makes my stomach hurt a -and -" When I hiccupped, Lussuria felt pity.

"Okay. I won't do that. But can we please keep the dress on for now? You really look cute~" Giggling and forgetting all about the trouble I had, I smiled and gave Lussuria a twirl.

"CUTEEEEEE~!" He kissed me all over my cheeks.

* * *

Blink.

Blink.

Fidget.

Blink.

Double Blink.

Xanxus threw a wine glass at me and Levi yelled, "Stop doing that! It annoys the boss!" Well, it wasn't my fault; Xanxus asked me to come to his office and then commanded for me to stay. I was confused as to why, but I kind of expected us to be alone. Sometimes I forgot that Levi even existed. He was a mindless drone that followed Xanxus and repeated what he said all day. It didn't annoy me but I thought it was silly. Wasn't it more fun to have your own thoughts and feelings?

"Oi!" Oh, now he was copying Squalo, too? How unoriginal could you be? Smiling, I looked at him.

"What?"

"The boss is asking you for something!" I shrugged off Levi and instead tilted my head at Xanxus.

"Yes, Xanxus?" Levi clicked his teeth but said nothing else.

"Get me some wine." Picking myself off the ground, I sighed and left the room to get the boss what he wanted. At times like these, when I was really bored and had nothing to do, I missed the sadistic prince, as strange as that sounded. He always kept me entertained or vise verse.

When I opened the door I ducked on instinct but didn't feel the impact of the wine glass anywhere near me. Looking up, I noticed Xanxus was smirking and waiting patiently.

"No wine glass?"

"If you don't hurry up, there will be." Understanding, I sprinted over and handed him the wine. To my surprise, he poured it into a glass, only to hand it to me. For a few seconds, I stared at it, not knowing how to feel.

"Drink." He proceeded to drink straight from the bottle. Shaking my head, I pressed my hands together anxiously.

"I don't drink..." Looking down, I awaited his reaction, but to my surprise again, he just smirked.

"More for me." He drunk my serving like a shot and then threw the glass at the person passing through the door. Jumping slightly when I heard it shatter, I whipped around to see it was Levi. Although I didn't particularly like Levi, he got hit quite hard and now his forehead was bleeding. I ran over with a napkin I got off the table a dabbed his head.

"Are you okay, Leviathan-san?" The lightning guardian scoffed and lightly pushed me away, taking the napkin still.

"Boss, Belphegor just arrived from the mission." Xanxus scowled and made a motion to wave him over. Feeling hurt, I frowned at being ignored by Levi. Why was he mean? Sometimes I thought he might be gay for the boss, seeing as he was the only person that Levi cared about. Levi proudly stood beside Xanxus, pretending that I didn't exist. A small wetness rolled down my cheek from frustration.

Just as I was about to leave the room, I bumped into a hard chest. Hearing the familiar 'ushi shi shi shi', I didn't even bother looking up, knowing that if he saw me cry, he would probably make fun of me for it. The door slammed behind me as I left the room in a huff.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ What's wrong with the peasant?" Shrugging, Xanxus scowled.

"Don't know, don't fucking care."

"Shi shi shi~"

* * *

My eyes were still slightly red from crying, but after some cheering up from Mr. Hohome, I went back to cleaning. The banister was dusty and filthy, from god knows what, so I decided to clean it. A couple of screams and giggles could be heard from the next room as Belphegor passed by with an angry Squalo hot on his trail.

"VOI! YOU BRAT! GET BACK HERE WITH MY SWORD!" I chuckled and smiled to myself, happy that Squalo was back to yelling at people instead of inanimate objects. They appeared behind me and Belphegor ran by before stopping and turning to stand in front of me.

"Bel -sama? What ar-" He put his hand on my mouth, successfully making me quiet.

"VOI!" Squalo ran past us and I facepalmed. I heard him screaming and breaking things somewhere else in the house. I was about to continue working when I noticed Belphegor flipping a knife on his finger.

"I'm hungry. Make me some food, peasant. Ushi shi shi shi~" Sighing, I stopped cleaning, knowing that if I didn't do what he wanted, I wouldn't get any work finished. Trudging down the stairs, Belphegor's lips remained in his permanent wry grin. When we got in the kitchen, Lussuria was there with a dress in his hand. He noticed me and squealed.

"Ah! Che-chan I was looking for you! I need you to model this dress for me~ I promise you'll look like a princess~" My face erupted in red. The prince giggled behind me.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ I didn't know the peasant liked playing dress up." Mortification was permanently etched in my expression and Lussuria gasped.

"Bel -chan! I didn't know you were here!" Lussuria gave me an apologetic look.

"Of course, I was here. Ushi shi shi shi~ A Prince must always make his presence known." All eyes seemed to be on him. Tucking the dress behind his back, Lussuria licked lips in anticipation, eyes like saucers.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ I will play dress up, too. Only I can make a peasant look pretty." Gaping, I stared at him, baffled. He pulled a knife out of his sleeve and stabbed it through the shoulder of the bright pink garment. Scowling, he observed it in disdain.

"That's ugly. I demand something better."

"Mah! I made that with love! How dare you say it was ugly!" Offended, Lussuria wiggled his hips and grabbed my arm, dragging me upstairs. Belphegor threw another knife that cut off a piece of my skirt.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ The peasant will go nowhere without me." He stomped up the stairs and grabbed me forcefully, knocking me against his chest. The flamboyant sun guardian still had my other arm in an iron grip.

"Don't be jealous, Bel~"

* * *

My face seemed to be stuck permanently red. I wasn't bothered when I had to get naked in front of Lussuria, but Belphegor was another story. I begged him to turn around, but he claimed 'the peasant should be flattered that the prince is even looking at her'.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ This one pleases me." It was short and a bright red. Chuckling, Lussuria mentally celebrated. He somehow knew that Belphegor would like the red one since it reminded him of blood. Truly sadistic. I blinked. At least it was more comfortable than the others.

"Although the peasant still looks like a peasant, she looks less like a peasant than a peasant usually would." His crooked grin was large and full of mischief as always.

"Mah! You look so cute, Che-chan! You should always wear a dress~" I looked at the clock on the wall and gasped. It was nearly time for lunch and I haven't even prepared anything for the Varia to eat. Quickly removing the dress, I heard Lussuria protest.

"No! Keep it on!" My uniform was disheveled when I put it on, but I dealt with it. Running down the stairs, I bumped into Squalo's muscular back and fell to the ground.

"VOI! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" He almost stabbed the person when he saw it was me. "VOI. MAKE ME FOOD. I'M FUCKING STARVING." Nodding, I smiled when he picked me up.

"That's what I was just about to do. Would you like something in particular, Squ-kun?" Contemplating, his stomach grumbled.

"Give me some meat. Fucking figure it out." He stomped somewhere, presumably the training room, and I smiled softly. Raw fish seemed to be a favorite of his since he accidentally ate a fish filet without me knowing and enjoyed it. Quickly getting to work, I started making him what he wanted before realizing I didn't know what everyone else would eat.

Xanxus, of course, would probably want steak and some wine, so not much difficulty there. Lussuria liked having a fruit salad for lunch, being the fit person he was. Mammon didn't eat much and Levi would eat whatever everyone else would eat. Here came the problem: Belphegor. That prince was a wildcard when it came to what he wanted. He'd always make me solve some kind of riddle to figure it out, but more often than not, I would get it wrong, resulting in an upset and grumpy prince. As if on cue, he came in and sat on the counter in front of me.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ I'm still hungry. Today..." He paused, thinking of some kind of math problem or riddle he could get me to solve.

"What do you get if you divide the circumference of a pumpkin by its diameter?" Scratching my head, I became frustrated, not even knowing what a sir-cum-reference was.

Blink blink.

"Bel-sama?"

"Yes, peasant?"

"What's a die-meter?"

"...You're an idiot."

* * *

Mammon came into the kitchen to grab some milk. He poured it into the cup and warmed it up in the microwave. On the table, there were plates of food and he could practically hear the gears turning in my head. He heard me click my teeth as I rummage through drawers and cabinets while looking at a pumpkin occasionally.

"No...ugh that's not it..."

"Cheyenne, what are you doing?" I jumped and hit my head on the door of an open cabinet. Groaning in pain, I answer him with a meek 'ouch'.

"Bel-sama gave me another riddle and I can't figure it out..." I looked dejected and Mammon frowned. The prince's stupid jokes were wasting his time.

"What was the riddle? I'll solve it." I shook my head.

"He said not to cheat." Mammon facepalmed and cursed Belphegor.

"Tell me what it was or else I'll fire you." Although Mammon would never fire me, he wanted to scare me into telling him.

"A ah! Okay...umm. It was about a sir-cum-reference and a die-meter. How do you measure a death? Ah, there was also a pie being divided. I'm so confused..." Recognizing the riddle easily, Mammon told me what to do.

"Make him a pumpkin pie." The baby left the room, warm milk in hand and I blinked. A pie? For lunch? I smiled gently to myself.

"Bel-sama is such a sweet tooth."

* * *

Squalo came into the kitchen shortly before I finished garnishing his dish. He peaked over my shoulder. I seemed to know exactly what he wanted.

"Squ- kun, is this good enough?" He grunted. I grinned and clapped my hands together.

"Yay! I'm so good at this game..." I pranced around jovially as Squalo poured himself a glass of wine and sat at the table. He ate slowly and that looked strange knowing how he usually was. Lussuria skipped lunch because he had to go out to buy groceries. That was usually my job, but he wanted to do it as an apology. Belphegor cut my shoulder and legs by throwing knives when he didn't like the dresses. Although that was purely Lussuria's fault, I didn't want to be a burden.

The only people in the kitchen were me and Squalo. The only noise I could hear was the clank of silverware on plates. I sigh, remembering that I had to vacuum the training room because Levi singed one of the target dummies with his lighting. But being the guilty person I was, I didn't want to leave Squalo alone to eat.

Plopping in one of the chairs, I scooted up to the table and laid my head on it. Squalo stopped eating to watch me yawn.

"VOI. Don't you have work to do?" Waving him off, I observed the way he ate.

"Yeah, but I can do it later." He grumbled and dipped his food in the sauce. Frowning, I suddenly remembered something Belphegor told me.

"It's not my business to judge the way you eat, but drowning the meat in the sauce is bad in some places."

"Lemme guess. The 'prince' told you that shit?" He made quotation marks with his fingers as he said prince and I giggled.

"Yeah. How did you know?" The rain guardian shook his head while a vain throbbed in his neck.

"It sounded like some of his royal bullshit language." I covered my mouth to muffle my laughs. Speaking of the prince, he came at a bad time.

"What about my language? Is the shark jealous that I'm more cultural and educated than him? Ushi shi shi shi~" Twirling a knife in his hand, he leaned on the door frame with his signature grin.

"VOI!" Just when Squalo was going to get up and chase Belphegor, I put a hand on his shoulder.

"Come back and finish your food when you're done." Not taking even a moment to think about it, Squalo ran off and gave chase to Belphegor, yelling insults.

"VOI! YOU BRATTY PRINCE!" Exhaling, I picked up Squalo's plates and put the remainder of the sushi in a container along with placing the sauce in the microwave for him to eat with later. Sometimes, I felt even more like a mother than Lussuria.

* * *

Wiping my forehead, I stood proudly after seeing the training room clean and with no ash. Taking the opportunity, I reorganized the weights and moved the dummies to the center of the room instead of the side. My cheeks puff as I take out a pen, writing down things that had to be purchased later.

 _'•Another pair of 1lb weights.  
•More training swords  
•New Lightning rod  
•Target Dummy'_

"Perfect!" I checked my watch to see it was 4:00pm. Paling, I realized that I hadn't made Belphegor's pie yet. My ass was toast. Thank god there was no toaster anymore. Sprinting and jumping over couches, I slid into the kitchen and celebrated when there was no one there. Throwing open cabinets and doors, I gathered all the ingredients and began preparing it as fast as possible.

The oven seemed to notice my distress and it opened itself, while I threw the pan with the completed pie in it. I froze. Ovens don't open themselves. Standing to my left was a very amused Belphegor.

"Are you rushing? Ushi shi shi shi~" My eyes found the floor more comforting than his mop of hair. He twirled my hair on his finger before bringing it down to tilt my chin up.

"Peasants should always serve their Prince before anyone else." A knife appeared in his hand. Instead of doing what I expected, he stabbed a spider that was crawling near my hand. Eyes widening, I looked up at him, surprised.

"It wanted to eat the pie that _my_ peasant was making me. How selfish." The prince went and sat at the dinner table, putting his legs on top. Blinking, I wondered what just happened. His grin widened when he saw my confused look.

"Hurry up. I lack patience. Ushi shi shi shi~" Smiling widely, I nodded and cleaned the dishes that I used to make the pie. Skipping up to him, I sat down in the chair beside him.

"How was the mission?" He smirked and put his knife down.

"Easy, of course. I'm not Prince the Ripper for nothing. Ushi shi~" I chuckled and played with the hem of my apron while I listened to him boast and talk about himself. "I'd say I'm the best assassin here. Shark face yells too much and Peacock is a homosexual with squealing tendencies. Ushi~" He laughed at his own joke and I redden. Belphegor didn't seem to care that he was insulting his own colleagues.

"That's mean, Bel-sama! That's your family!" Shaking his head, Belphegor laughed.

"I consider them plagues in the air that I breathe." I sweat dropped when I saw his deadpan expression.

"Am I a plague, too, Bel-sama?" He grinned wryly again. Just as he was about to answer, the oven rang, signifying the food was done. Pulling it out of the oven, I cut a piece and served it on a plate. Digging into it, he licked his lips after taking a piece.

"Do you like it?" His expression was slightly sour.

"4/10." I became disappointed. Frowning, I put the back pie in the oven before leaving the kitchen and Belphegor by himself. I put so much love into that damn pie!

Fucking asshole.

* * *

Lussuria came back from the grocery store only to be sent on a mission. He kissed his favorite maid, me, goodbye and I cursed myself. Mammon had been gone for nearly the whole day and Squalo went to train after he ate the leftover sushi. Who was I stuck with now? The prince.

Currently, we were in the dark living room watching some very rare and very hipster, mafia horror movies. It was his choice of activity and I honestly would have preferred getting suffocated by a corset than this. They were gory, there were jump scares, and more importantly, the main character was the murderer. I've seen what the Varia can do but don't take any of it to heart. They weren't out for my blood; I'm not so sure about the other people of the world, though.

For most of the movie, I spent it hiding behind Belphegor's shoulder while he grinned like a madman. Anytime there was a jump scare, I'd squeal and grip his arm for safety, forgetting that the people were on the screen and not in real life.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ A hatchet trap? Amateur." His comments were beginning to perturb me. What the hell does he do when he wasn't following me all day? A blood-curdling scream echoed out and I sank deeper into the couch and Belphegor's back.

"Is the peasant scared? Ushi shi shi shi~ How sad." I lightly tugged his hair and he laughed again.

The movie became decreasingly scary as I became desensitized to the blood and screaming. Yawning, I wrapped the blanket tighter around me. When I looked up to see what Belphegor was doing, I noticed he was still giggling and commenting on certain moments, as if I was still listening. Using him as a bed, I went to dreamland.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ This movie was so boring. Are you still sc- " Belphegor stopped talking and frowned, noticing the sleeping girl on his shoulder. He should have known; she was never so quiet for such a long time. He flicked her forehead and confirmed that she was asleep.

"It's rude for a peasant to sleep on a prince." Her breath was slow and peaceful and watching her made him sleepy, too.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ I'll punish you later."

"Goodnight, peasant."

* * *

 **If there are any errors, PM me and I will rectify them as soon as I can! If you have any character/episode/plot you want me to write about, tell me and I might include it! Please leave a review! I love reading them!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 : P -Promotion!?**

* * *

A weight dropped on my back and I groaned, wondering who could be bothering me on my day off.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ Entertain me." My head hurt and when I felt something sharp poke my back, I knew it was going to be a bad day.

* * *

Squalo was screaming and yelling, telling everyone to fuck off and leave him alone. The Varia limo had a flat tire and broken bumper thanks to Lussuria's police chase earlier today. The flamboyant man insisted everyone sit outside to keep Squalo company. It wasn't like he wanted a tan, not at all.

"Mah! It feels so delicious out here!" Lussuria took off his shirt, putting on tanning lotion. He's always wanted the Latino look.

"VOIIIII! STOP TANNING AND FUCKING PASS ME THE WRENCH!" His hand waved out expectantly. If you're wondering why they didn't just hire a mechanic:

 **1:** They're the Varia  
 **2:** Mammon is stingy.

I ran over to help him since no one else was going to do it. Belphegor just scoffed at the idea of being outside in 90+ degrees Fahrenheit / 32+ degrees Celsius and went to sleep. Sweat poured down my face, but I could only imagine how Squalo felt being beneath the heat of the car. At least he had the option to take off his shirt; I couldn't do that around a bunch of guys. Squalo grumbled thanks and I went to sit on the grass beside Lussuria.

"Isn't it great outside, today?" Gaping, I watched as he took off his pants and wore some board shorts beneath it. He looked like he was ready for the beach instead of a car fix.

"Mama...We should help, Squ-kun. He's probably having a hard time." Lussuria waved me off and handed me the lotion.

"Put it on my back would you?" Sighing, I did what he requested before noticing that Levi was glaring at me. Xanxus was smirking, too. Those looks made me worried for my health.

"Now that we're at it, someone should wash the car, too." Mammon propped himself on my shoulder.

"VOI! I'M NOT FUCKING DOING IT! GET THE SHITTY PRINCE FOR THAT! HE HASN'T DONE ANY WORK!"

"Ah! Bel is sleeping, Squalo-chan." A pout formed on Lussuria's lips until Squalo came from underneath the car to glare daggers at him.

"FUCKING WAKE HIM UP, THEN!" There was a certain gut feeling that made me not want to do that. Call it a hunch, but I didn't want to be the one to face the prince's wrath.

"The scum should make herself useful and do it instead." I didn't really want to do the work in the heat. I shot Lussuria a crestfallen look and was just about to pick up the hose when Squalo snatched it from my hands. Looking up at him, I noticed his angry face. He was mad at me or it was from the heat, but either way, he was adamant on Belphegor washing the car.

"I'll get the prince. Don't fucking wash-no DON'T EVEN TOUCH THAT WATER HOSE UNTIL I GET BACK OR ELSE I'LL DECAPITATE YOU!" A nervous smile appeared on my lips, but I complied.

"Mah! Squalo! Maybe a little cold water wi -"

"FUCK. NO." The discussion ended there when the long-haired man shot venom from his eyes. He stomped into the mansion and I plopped on the ground with my typical smile.

"Mah...what's wrong with him, Cheyenne-chan?" Lussuria leaned over to observe me. A noise of understanding came from him.

"White shirt? What were you thinking?" It was if a question mark appeared over my head. Fingers gathering the white fabric, I smiled and shrugged.

"Bel-sama just handed me a shirt and told me to play hide-and-seek with him." Lussuria blinked and smirked.

"Our Prince the Ripper is a little pervert, hm? Squalo did a good job." He suddenly took on a tearful expression. "I failed as a m-mother." I rubbed his back with a happy smile.

"I still love you, Mama." Our moment was ruined by loud yelling and 'shi shi shi's'.

"VOIIIII! YOU SAID YOU WERE SLEEPING YOU FUCKING BRAT!" There were lots of bangs and glass broke here and there.

"A prince does what he wants!" I could tell the noises were coming closer when a window by the front door shattered, revealing a shirtless Squalo and amused prince. In Belphegor's hand were some lacy lingerie and a couple of knives.

 _(Don't ask about the panties. No one knows.)_

"Ushi shi shi shi~"

"COME HERE AND FUCKING WORK!" Belphegor suddenly stopped and grinned, holding his hands up. Squalo also stopped running and pointed his sword -clad arm in his direction.

"The prince has resigned. But I want the peasant to help. Ushi~" That only made Squalo seethe more.

"Squalo-chan, just let it go." Lussuria tried to defuse the ticking time bomb that was Superbi Squalo. Veins throbbed in his neck before he growled and sat close to the car. Standing up, I grabbed the hose. If possible, Belphegor's smile became wider.

"I like your shirt, peasant." For the second time today, I looked down at my shirt, confused. Why did everyone like my shirt? It was just a regular shirt. It wasn't even a nice fabric.

Blink.

Blink.

Blink.

Nope. I still didn't know. When I looked up, I noticed that Belphegor was trying to trade.

"Bel-sama?" He took the hose and gave me the sponge.

"A prince doesn't do manual labor. That's the peasants' job." Aside from the displeasure of the sun beating down on my skin, I grinned and nodded. The prince began pouring water on the car when Squalo grabbed the scruff of his pullover.

"CAREFUL WITH THAT MOTHERFUCKING HOSE!"

"Ushi shi shi shi~ Don't tell me what to do." The frown on Squalo's face was strong enough to make a puppy cry.

* * *

When the car was drenched in water, Belphegor grabbed a lawn chair and sat back. I scrubbed the car from head to toe, careful to not get wet. A splash of water on my thigh made me squeal. So much for not getting wet. Turning back to playfully glare at the perpetrator, I saw Belphegor with a smirk that reached his ears. Continuing, I got another splash of water on my butt.

"Bel! Don't do that to Cheyenne-chan!" Lussuria scolded and Xanxus chuckled at the display. Squalo's eye twitched while Mammon sat on my head. When I looked I noticed the wetness on the bottom of my shirt. Stomping my feet, I pouted.

"Bel-sama!"

"Ushi~" I shook my head and continued cleaning.

"WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT THE MOTHERFUCKING HOSE?!" Belphegor's eyebrows rose from under his bangs. That sounded like a challenge. Keeping his eyes trained on Squalo, he raised the hose slowly before putting it on full power on me. If I wasn't drenched before, I definitely was now. Mammon floated off my head, frowning and noticing the transparency, an invisible blush on his pudgy cheeks.

"I suggest you change out of your shirt." Just as I was going to do as he suggested, Squalo threatened me.

"VOI! DON'T FUCKING TURN AROUND, YOU DUMBASS! ONE MORE INCH AND I'LL CUT YOUR HAND OFF!" The prince laughed maniacally, satisfied with the chaos he created.

"Oh no! I knew this would happen!" Jumping to his feet, Lussuria sprinted over to give me a towel. I scratched my head, puzzled. Everyone suddenly hated my shirt. Also, what was the big deal? I was a bit wet, nothing big.

"Shut up, scum. You're all idiots."

"Idiots!" Ah. There was Levi. Sometimes I forgot he was even here. All he's done this entire time was fan Xanxus.

"What's going on?!" I was paranoid from all of this.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ The prince should assess the damage~"

"TO HELL, YOU WILL!"

* * *

After Squalo begrudgingly finished washing the car, without Belphegor's help, mind you, Lussuria escorted me to change and shower. For some reason, Xanxus said they would have a meeting in 30 minutes. He almost never scheduled a meeting, so it got me nervous. The shampoo poured down my back as I massaged my scalp. A loud bang came from the next room. Another bang and a loud 'voi' echoed close and I felt a sense of déjà vu. My door swung open and a familiar baby jumped into the tub, hanging onto my thigh.

"COME OUT OF THAT FUCKING BATHROOM AND YOU'RE FISH FOOD!" I heard Squalo leave and I giggled at Skull.

"S-save me." Picking him up, I frowned lightly when I saw that he was wet.

"Let me finish, okay?" He nodded and I put him on the toilet to wait.

Hurrying up, I sang as I made sure there was no left over conditioner in my hair. The baby Arcobaleno handed me a towel and I smiled at his helpfulness.

"Thank you~" Skull twiddled his fingers with a blush. Finally, I was dry. I put on a loose striped sweater that Belphegor gave me for one of my birthdays with a pair of shorts. Again, I squealed from Skull's cuteness and picked him up, nuzzling his cheek before placing him on my head.

"W-where are we going?" Fear waved over his body, afraid that he would see Squalo again.

"A meeting. Xanxus wants us to go." He shivered.

"X-Xanxus? Oh, my..." His last words were inaudible; he trailed off.

"Why are you here? Not that I mind. I would love having a cute baby to take care of." Giggling, I complimented his adorableness. Sputtering for words, the Arcobaleno smushed his face into my hair.

"I got lost... Reborn wouldn't help me..."

"This Reborn person seems really mean." Frowning, I walked down the stairs to reach one of the meeting rooms.

"He is!" A muffled protest came from the baby on my head and I smiled. That smile only got bigger when I saw Belphegor.

"Bel-sama!" Said prince turned around with a grin, happy that I said his name with so much enthusiasm, but it quickly dropped when he saw the baby cuddling me. He scoffed.

"What is that baby doing in _my_ peasant's hair?" Laughing, I took Skull off of my head and kissed his chubby little cheek.

"He got lost on his way home, silly baby. Isn't he so cute~" Skull was blissfully ignorant of Bel's glare as he received infinite cuddles from me

"No." His deadpan face went unnoticed when Squalo started screaming.

"VOI! PURPLE BABY!" A squeal escaped Skull and he hid behind my hair. Belphegor laughed and grinned, having the same idea as Squalo.

 _(Kill the damn baby.)_

The meeting doors opened and everyone walked in to take their respective seats. Xanxus was there with a bottle of some vodka.

"Sit down, scum. I'll make it fast." Mr. Hohome poured everyone some vodka except for Belphegor. The prince frowned. "Just give him some, trash," Xanxus ordered and Bel mentally celebrated.

"Ushi shi~" Levi sat beside Xanxus, Lussuria on his other side, Squalo beside Levi and Belphegor next to Lussuria. I had the choice to sit beside either one, but Bel forces me beside him. Grinning, he flicked Skull's cheek, the baby protesting. Mammon came into the room and floated above Lussuria's shoulder. Giving a Skull a fleeting glare, Xanxus got straight to the point.

"I'm promoting Cheyenne." I tilted my head, wondering what better position I could be in. Squalo was outraged, already predicting what Xanxus would say.

"VOI! YOU'RE FUCKING CRAZY!" Cue wine glass to the forehead.

 _(Wait. Pause. Where did that even come from?! There was no wine in the room! Varia logic. Continue.)_

"Starting tomorrow, the scum will be our cloud guardian."

Lussuria stood up, "But Cheyenne-chan has no fighting experience!" Levi shook his head and interjected on Xanxus's behalf.

"She's lived under the same roof as the Varia for eight years. That must mean something." For once, Levi had a point.

"VOI! SHE BARELY KNOWS WHAT A FUCKING KATANA IS! WHAT THE FUCK IS SHE GOING TO DO AS A GUARDIAN?!" Slamming his fist on the table, Squalo waved his sword around, exaggerating his point. I was still in shock. Belphegor wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"I have no complaints. This means the prince can go on missions with the peasant~ Ushi shi shi shi~"

"That saves me the money of hiring a cloud guardian." Mammon began counting his fingers, approving of Xanxus's decision.

"It's fucking done," he then smirked in my direction, "You still have to cook and clean." Belphegor laughed and swayed with me.

"Ushi~ The peasant will get an upgrade, soon~" An upgrade? Ignoring Bel, I was really happy to be in a position of power instead of being known for cleaning floors, but I was anxious. What would being a guardian imply?

"Your first mission is tomorrow." My expression fell. That's what it implied. I had never left the Varia mansion unless necessary and now I probably had to leave frequently.

"VOOOOIIIIIII! BOSS, YOU'RE FUCKING OUT OF YOUR MIND!" Cue a second wine glass.

 _(No seriously. Where do those wine glasses come from?)_

"Mah! So soon? My baby is growing up!" Lussuria jumped the wagon and celebrated my promotion. It appeared that Squalo was the only person against it. Skull patted my shoulder.

"Congratulations, Cheyenne." Forgetting all about Skull, since he was quiet, I beamed and pulled him off of me to give him a kiss on the forehead.

"Thank you, everyone~"

"VOOOO-" The third.

 _(Who the fuck supplies Xanxus with these wine glasses?! Oh. Me. Right)_

"Shut the fuck up, scum." Xanxus acknowledged the baby's presence. "Baby, I would kill you, but the scum likes you. Don't fucking bother me or there will be consequences." Skull nodded furiously and I tightened my hold on him. Belphegor glared at Skull through his bangs but kept his grin. He'd have to deal with the baby later.

"Scum," I perked up, "Choose someone to go on the mission with." Squalo stood up and watched me expectantly.

"VOI. I'm going with you. Don't argue. NO WAY I'LL LEAVE ONE OF THESE IDIOTS WITH YOU!" He stared at Belphegor pointedly, the prince laughed.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ Who said she was going with you? She's going to choose the prince, of course." Head spinning, I didn't know who to choose.

"DON'T GO WITH THE PRINCE! YOU'LL GET KILLED!" Squalo waves his sword in Bel's face.

"I would never let the peasant die...slowly. Ushi shi shi shi~" Not wanting to annoy or anger either of them, I decided to let Skull do it. After all, I deemed Skull my new sidekick. My cute, little, baby sidekick.

"Skull? Who do you think?" The baby thought about it for a few seconds but ultimately decided.

* * *

 **If there are any errors, PM me and I will rectify them as soon as I can! If you have any character/episode/plot you want me to write about, tell me and I might include it! Please leave a review! I love reading them!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 : My First Mission**

* * *

My hands lightly shake the prince awake. He stretched and then threw a knife sloppily. Bel's drowsy pout, although cute, was extremely frightening. Feeling a bit gutsy, I went into his room to wake him from his slumber. I felt guilty for waking him up so early, but Squalo kept yelling at me for being soft.

 _"Since you're a member now, you have to take responsibility for your colleagues, even if they're fucking idiots."_

"Why did you wake me up-" he paused to look at the clock on his nightstand, "At 8:00 in the morning?" I shuffled my feet.

"We have a mission, Bel-sama. Did you forget?" His hostile frown disappeared from his face just as quickly as it came and he yanked my arm towards him. A wide, foxy grin sat on his mouth. He held my shoulders in a death grip as I tried wiggling away.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ I can't forget such an important moment. 'The day the peasant died.' I can just feel it. Ushi~" Belphegor suddenly pushed me away from him and swung the blankets off of himself. I sweatdropped. That wasn't exactly the nicest thing I've heard from him. The closet door swung open and he stopped to observe something.

"I'll be waiting in Xanxus's office." His body contorted around and he looked pointedly at me. Tilting my head, I squinted at what he had in his hand. Grinning, I saw it was the note I left. He scanned over it with his wry grin.

"What's this? The peasant left me a note? Isn't that so nice? Ushi shi shi shi~" I sighed and left him to do his business. Skull was waiting outside the door. The poor, little guy was afraid of everyone. Must be some kind of traumatic experience.

"Skull-chan~" I kissed his pudgy cheek and put him on my head. He seemed to like it up there. We walked to brief ourselves on exactly what the mission was all about. The door opened and I ducked as the wine glass flew past, cracking on something else. There was a faint 'voi' somewhere in the mansion.

"Scum."

"Xanxus-sama." I sat in a chair in front of him to wait for Belphegor to get here. He burst through the door by kicking it open and Xanxus growled. The boss must like that door. As always, his appearance was slightly sloppy and the striped sweater he wore underneath his coat clashed with the rest of his appearance. It was strangely fitting.

"Ushi shi~" Xanxus took a shot from the vodka he was drinking.

"Listen up, scum. You're going to the Vargas' place. The head motherfucker looks something like a gay Iemitsu. Kill him." I blinked. Was that it? I couldn't seem to understand what he said. Also the fact that he didn't explain it well might have thrown me off track. Levi noticed my confusion.

"Belphegor will be trusted with the location. You have to find a way to kill the head of the house. He has some dirt on the Vongola that we can't afford to let out. He has a long beard and wears red glasses. How you do it, is completely up to you." I smiled at him.

"Thank you, Leviathan-san." Belphegor jumped up from his seat and dragged me along. We passed Squalo in the hallway and I suddenly regretted letting Skull decide. The way that Squalo was looking at me made my stomach churn. I let go of Belphegor for a second to stand in front of Squalo. He acknowledged me.

"Don't die." I nodded and hugged his waist. He tensed but patted my head.

"I pinky promise that I won't." I held my pinky up to him with a smile. Scoffing, he smirked.

"Grow up. You're sixteen and acting like a fucking kid." The smile didn't leave my face and he turned to scrutinize Belphegor.

"If she dies, you're next."

"I'll look forward to it, Shark Captain. Ushi shi shi shi~" Skull gently tugged my hair, urging us to go. I held his little hand and grabbed Bel's arm.

"Come on. The faster we finish, the faster we can come home."

Home. It was strange to call the dank mansion home. Belphegor suddenly got an attitude and he grabbed my wrist roughly.

"Don't order me around, peasant." There was a frown on his face and I gulped. The grip he had on my arm really hurt.

* * *

"Ushi shi shi shi~" My heart was beating really fast. There was blood all over my clothes from Bel massacring all the guards. He licked the blood off of one of his knives and shivered.

"Bel-sama. That's so gross."

"Ushi~ You're the gross one. You haven't killed anyone since we got here." It was the truth, but really, I had never been trained to kill, only to escape being killed. I was good dodging and running, but that was the limit of my abilities. The way Bel was killing these people: heartless, brutal and unforgiving.

"I don't really know how. Plus, these people don't have to die. We could just kill the boss and leave." My suggestion was ignored when the prince chucked the knife into one of the guards' jugular. Blood poured out like a fountain. I covered my eyes.

"Not killing them takes the fun out of the mission. And we want to have fun, right?" He hugged my shoulder and I peaked up at him through my fingers. Dried blood caked on his bangs and face. It made me want to throw up.

"You sound like a crazy person, Bel-sama!" He giggled in response.

"Are you suggesting that I'm not sane? If so," he threw three more knives to the rooftop. A silent grunt came from the body and they flopped onto the ground. "You would be right. Ushi shi shi shi~" Skull ran over to me. I picked him up and he gave me a gun.

"I found this on the ground. It has two more bullets, but it's better than nothing, right?" I smiled gratefully. He had been so helpful. He scoped out the area, taking advantage of his small body to sneak around and give us a good idea of what we were facing. Bel didn't seem to like him, though.

"Stupid baby. You think she knows how to use a gun? She can barely hold a pair of scissors without cutting herself." The frown and anger on his face were directed toward Skull and I couldn't help but be upset. Why was he being so mean? He wasn't usually like this.

"Bel. Don't talk to him like that. He's done nothing but be helpful." I scolded him and Skull shook his head.

"N -no. It's okay, Cheyenne-chan. I'm used t -" the baby was knocked off my head as my back was slammed against the wall. The wind was knocked out of me and I felt an itchy sensation. I quickly realized, after my vision cleared, that one of Bel's knives was at my neck and his breath fanned over my face.

"Don't chide me, peasant." I squeaked when he gently pressed it into my neck, drawing blood. His tone of voice sent shivers down my spine. Tears tingled in the corner of my eyes. The frown he had was replaced by a grin and he released me as if nothing happened.

"Let's go. This stupid boss will feel the power of Prince the Ripper. Ushi~" I kept silent, not wanting to trigger his anger anymore. Skull held onto my leg and I picked him up holding him against my chest, finding comfort in his small warmth.

* * *

There was something wrong with Bel's strategy, as I expected. He wanted to go in, bloodthirsty and knife crazy and simply wipe out the entire family. There was one 'teensy' problem with that: a guy about Levi's height or taller, bulky, monstrous, and very dangerous. He nearly ripped Bel's arm clean off if it wasn't for Skull taking the gun he gave me earlier and shooting with it. Now the prince was at a disadvantage with a dislocated shoulder.

"Shit." Belphegor cursed; it hurt like hell. I ran over to him and tried to help, but he pushed me away. If there was something that the Varia was known for, it was their huge ego and pride. Belphegor had both those things. Skull was trying to hold off the giant with his pet octopus as Bel thought up a battle plan on the spot. He suddenly grinned.

"Give me your hand." Confused, I did as he said. He placed a few of his knives in my hand and attached to the hilt were invisible wires. I stared at them. Placing his finger on lips, shushing me, he motioned me to hold his working arm. He tapped his ear before using his strength to launch me towards the giant's back. My instincts made me grab his back.

"Throw them at the wall! Now!" Belphegor yelled at me and I tried getting them to stick into the wall, getting unlucky the first few times, but eventually getting it. The giant to shake me off, but my grip was unrelenting as I waited for Bel's orders.

"Distract him!" I was outraged.

"WHAT?!" His laugh rang out and bounced on the walls of the room.

"Ushi shi shi shi~" This was so amusing to him. Skull crawled up and joined me on the man's back, exhausted. He passed out right then and there. I held him to my chest as I balanced with one hand. It wasn't easy. Belphegor ran around us looking like an ant. He threw knives in other places as he circled the man, some high, some low. I still had no idea what he was trying to accomplish by doing this. Suddenly, the man jumped up and launched us back. I closed my eyes, bracing for impact. A bang and crack echoed and could have sworn I broke my back. Blood came out of my mouth and I gasped for air. Maybe I was being too hopeful, but I wanted Bel to catch me instead of the hardwood floor. I shouldn't have expected so much from the prideful prince to begin with.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ This is so fun!" Maniacal laughter bubbled from him. I stood up and sneakily sat behind a couch that was thrown by the giant earlier. I coughed while I covered my mouth with my hand. The blood coated my hand. I felt like throwing up. Wiping my hand on the couch, I frowned and cleaned my mouth with my sleeve. Objects smashed behind me and I lightly smacked myself. Belphegor was out there risking his life and I was sitting here contemplating whether or not I broke my back. That shouldn't matter right now.

 _ **Varia quality.**_

If I was going to be a permanent member of the Varia, I should at least act like it. I stood up and racked my brain for ways to defeat the large man. Belphegor was having a hard time just chucking knives at the walls. He probably had a plan, but at the rate he was going, the hitmen would find our location and put bullets in us. The doors were shut and locked thanks to security lock-down, so escaping wasn't an option. Knocking on the floor, I frowned when I realized that it was thick. He can't fall through the floor. Another loud bang resounded against the wall. Belphegor chuckled and pushed himself out of the wall where the man just threw him. I looked up to notice a heavy-looking and rather extravagant chandelier. It shook from the impact and I got an idea.

"I'm going to brutally murder you. Then I'll flay and sell your skin to some cannibal."

 _(Totally not a Hibari reference I swear it.)_

A frown etched into Belphegor's face. The big guy just growled.

"Bel-sama!"

"What?!"

"Throw me some of your knives!" He dodged another punch and slid beneath the huge guy. Although he was unsure what I wanted with the knives, he threw them next to my head.

"Don't have too much fun!" I removed the blades and ran up some stairs, Skull still in my arms, and stayed out of sight. Right across from me was the heavy chandelier.

"Bel-sama!" He jumped away and looked up to where I was pointing. His grin was borderline crazy and he gave me a thumbs up. I bid my time and waited for the perfect moment. Belphegor led him underneath the chandelier and all at once, I used the razor-like wires from the knives to wrap around the chandelier. Using the knives as leverage, I pulled the wires and watched as the chandelier slowly came loose, nails falling out.

"JUMP!" Doing as I directed, Belphegor jumped out of the way and the eccentric ornament fell on the man's body, breaking a few bones and crushing him beneath its weight. Belphegor ran up the stairs to where I was. He swung a ring of keys in front of my face.

"Bingo~" I smiled, too. Not a moment too soon, a mini army of hitmen ran into the room, shooting at Bel and I. He pulled my free arm and quickly opened the door. A man sat behind the desk in the middle of the room and counted some dollar bills. The man gasped and looked at us in fear. Belphegor prepared his knives.

"N-no! Please! I have a family!" Frowning, I was suddenly upset. This man was threatening the Vongola family with blackmail and quite frankly, he probably deserved what was coming to him.

"We do, too," I stated with confidence. Belphegor looked at me with a proud smirk. The men were coming closer and Bel didn't want to waste any more time. Launching the knife, he went straight for his chest, killing him fast.

"Let's go!" The door burst open and we jumped out of the window, a loud bang coming from behind us. I gripped Skull tightly and ran slightly in front of Belphegor. Lights and sirens echoed in the darkness of the night. A helicopter followed behind us and men with guns shot after us. Adrenaline pulsed in my veins and I pulled Bel, me being a faster runner.

* * *

We ran into the woods and didn't stop until our lungs hurt and our legs could no longer push. I panted and jumped over bushes and ducked under branches. There was a clearing and there was a random city in front of us.

"P-peasant. Stop running." He caught his breath and leaned on a lamppost. Pulling something out of his pocket, he cursed as he pointed at a point on the map.

"We're far away." Nodding, I waited for his breathing to calm. I was a good runner, but I'd assume we ran for at least 2 miles / 3 kilometers without stopping. That can wear someone's stamina.

A sharp pain from the side of my stomach made me hunch over in pain. I held the spot and winced, a salty tear rolling down my cheek.

"Bel. Oh my goodness." I coughed and removed one of my hands and gasped fearfully, blood on my palm. Another tear came down and Bel frowned deeply.

"Ka-ching." He tried to touch the spot, but I moved away and winced when the sweat from his hand touched my wound.

"B-Bel...it hurts so much..." My breath was shallow and he pushed my hands away, the wound being exposed to the air. Looking down, I sobbed, finally noticing the amount of blood I was losing.

"Stop moving! I can't do anything if you keep squirming!" He lifted up my shirt and clicked his tongue, frustrated. I felt dizzy all of the sudden and collapsed on the middle o sidewalk. My hands caught my fall and I groaned.

"Get up, idiot!" Trying to lift myself, I only fell again.

"I-I can't." My voice was shaky and hoarse, and my throat felt like it was going to explode. I felt an arm roughly pick me up and I groaned, the pain becoming unbearable. Skull had woken up at some point during this and he held Belphegor's leg, worried. Belphegor frowned at the baby.

"Try to keep up." Belphegor broke into a sprint and with each step he took, more blood poured out. We suddenly stopped at an empty alleyway and he put me down. Taking a knife in his hand, he pulled my shirt over my head and covered my eyes with it. He put one his hands on my mouth.

"Don't scream." A sharp pain came from my side and I wriggled, kicking and screaming from behind his hand. The prince was trying to remove the bullet lodged in my side with his knife. Pure concentration on his face, he tried to pull it out as fast as possible, but it was difficult with me moving around so much. The pain was starting to become a hot numbness. Tears soaked my shirt. Was I dying? My first mission and I manage to mess it up horribly.

"I'm going to die..." Belphegor clicked his teeth in anger.

"No, you won't. I won't let that happen."

"Squalo was right. I shouldn't have agreed. I'm too w-"

"Shut up. If you die right now, I'll never forgive you. The prince prohibits it." My vision blurred. I've lost too much blood. Skull noticed my condition from beside me.

"Cheyenne! S-stay awake pl-please!"

"OI! OI! CHEYENNE!" Belphegor's voice was the last thing I heard as my eyes rolled to the back of my head.

The world turned black.

* * *

 **If there are any errors, PM me and I will rectify them as soon as I can! If you have any character/episode/plot you want me to write about, tell me and I might include it! Please leave a review! I love reading them!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 : Away From Home**

* * *

A faint beeping noise could be heard. The world around me was dark. I could hear voices in the back of my head. It was like I was dreaming, stuck between knowing and not able to wake up. A door slammed and I groaned, my throat feeling hoarse and dry. My fingers and toes twitch. The air felt cold and damp. Was I dead? My eyelids felt heavy when I tried opening them, my head began pounding. The headache was more like someone was beating my head in with a bat; it was excruciating. Another voice sounded, that one sounding louder and more like a yell.

"VOI. Wake up." Squalo shook me and that resulted in more pain. Why couldn't I wake up?! I was scared and cold. Really cold.

"Cheyenne-chan..." I knew that was Skull's voice. It felt fuzzy in my chest. Trying my hardest, I forced my eyes to open, managing to get a peak of light. The entire room was white. That's all I could tell.

"Voi! She's waking up!" God, Squalo. Your screaming isn't making it easier. A small click from in front of me revealed more members.

"Keep it down, Squalo." I could tell from the monotone that Mammon was talking.

"Squ-chan! You're making her condition worse by yelling so much." A weight distributed beside me and embraced my face. Wetness soaked into my clothes.

"Voi..."

"Cheyenne-chan..." I was so desperate to open my eyes that I begin shaking. Finally, after so much work, they open completely only to close them again with a small hiss. Th light was way too bright.

"Ah! Turn off the light!" Lussuria yelled in exasperation. They flicked it off and I tried again. At first, my vision was blurry, but then it cleared to reveal familiar faces.

"Squ- " I coughed. Mammon handed me a water bottle. I downed it in about 3 seconds.

"Squalo. Mama. Mammon. Skull...Where am I?" This room was unfamiliar to me. Lussuria looked at me pitifully.

"The infirmary...you got injured very badly." Flashes of what happened drifted through my vision and I sat up abruptly. I felt dizzy and I saw stars, my head throbbing again. new pain erupted from my stomach and I squeaked.

"Voi! Stop moving!" Squalo pushed me back into a resting position. Unconsciously, I grabbed my side, feeling a warm wetness there.

"Oh no! Your bandages!" Lussuria panicked and tried grabbing some wraps and tying them around the opening wound, but failed.

"I'll go wake up Belphegor." Mammon left the room. I was puzzled.

"Huh?" I sounded drunk. They probably gave me some medicine.

"The brat had to drag your unconscious ass over here with a broken arm and an annoying baby." Guilt flooded my eyes. It felt awful to know how much trauma Belphegor had to go through.

"Don't feel bad, Che-chan. Bel wasn't beating himself over it. He just stitched you up and now we're good to go~" I could tell that Lussuria was trying to make feel better. Skull sat beside my head, braiding my hair. It was calming me down.

"I had fun popping his arm back in place. The brat deserves it." I rubbed the spot and poked and prodded it gently, no longer feeling the solid bullet in there. He probably to out. I had a sudden thought.

"Why do we have an infirmary, but no doctors?"

"Because we have to save money." Mammon came back with a dead prince. Belphegor was significantly more annoyed and grumpy than he usually was.

"Everyone get out." It was safe to say that no one wanted to deal with his temper tantrums. Skull gave me one last fleeting look and a thumbs up. The door slammed and no was just me and Bel. His face had a grin, but it was tired.

"How's your arm, Bel-sama?" I tried to start a conversation with him.

"Perfectly healed~ Except for this ugly sling." He motioned to the cast and I smiled, glad that he wasn't mad or upset with me. The grumpiness from earlier was gone, too.

"I'm happy, then." He grinned wider. His hands were clammy and uncomfortable on my skin as he removed my shirt, taking off my bandages. I nearly cried from how it looked. There was caked and dried blood around the small bullet hole along with some botched stitch work. Grabbing a bottle of straight vodka, he didn't even warn me before pouring some directly on the wound. Smacking his hand on my mouth, I bit his hand in fervor.

"Oops. Ushi~" His sadistic grin never left his face. The sick boy was enjoying this. But if what Squalo and Lussuria said was true, I was in his debt. He carried me home while pursued by hitmen, nursing a broken arm, and having to deal with an afraid Skull. Then, he removed the bullet and did his best to stitch up my wound. It deserves some recognition.

"Thank you so much, Bel-sama." I flinched when he dabbed away the blood. Belphegor giggled.

"I'm amazing. I know. It's because I'm the prince. Ushi shi shi shi~" Lifting me up, he wrapped the bandages around my abdomen.

"How can I repay you?" If he was a cat, his ears would be perked and twitching with interest.

"Hmm. I will think about it. Ushi shi~" I sweatdropped. I would probably regret this later.

"Done~ You're welcome, peasant." I touched the bandages and smiled, no longer feeling the damp discomfort from earlier. When I looked up at his face, a deep scowl was playing on his lips. Suddenly, his hands were wrapped around my throat. It didn't hurt, but it wasn't exactly gentle either.

"Pull another stupid stunt like that..." He exhaled and then let me go before standing up and leaving with a slam from the door. Whether or not that was his way of expressing worry, I don't know. But it filled me with pride knowing that the self absorbed prince expressed some sort of concern for me.

* * *

I feel asleep shortly after everyone left, Lussuria claiming that I should get a rest. Skull slept at my side; he was tired, too.

When I came to, my headache was gone and my stomach didn't feel like rupturing. The white room still provided little to no comfort. I was beginning to feel a bit claustrophobic in the empty room. I winced slightly as I tried sitting up. Skull roused from his nap.

"Che-chan, you should be-" He yawned, "Resting." My smile was contagious.

"I know, but they should know better than to keep me here like a sitting duck!" Arms resting on the edge of the table, I stood up completely. It wasn't so hard. I slowly walked to the door.

"Fine! But take me with you!" Skull jumped into my arms and I caught him readily. Giggling, I pinched his cheek as he cuddled into my chest. It was official: Skull is the cute baby ever. The door clicked open silently and I peeked around the hallways. I felt so sneaky! Like a little ninja. Tiptoeing, I went into the unknown hallway. The Varia mansion is so big, there were some places I didn't even go into. Mr. Hohome crossed my path.

"Ms. Ballotelli? What are you doing out of bed?" He walked up to me with a fleeting glance. Gulp.

"I'm feeling really good! See?" I poked my side, "No pain!" I tried stressing my point and he chuckled.

"Master Squalo would be very displeased if he saw you out of bed." He sent me a wink and made a shushing motion. I mimicked it with a bright smile.

"Shhhh!" Skull playfully shushes me; I simply giggle.

"Don't get caught. I'll blame you." Mr. Hohome bowed and went on his way. When I was turning to leave the boring hallway, he called my name.

"Ms. Ballotelli? Master Mammon is looking for you." Shaking my head, I exhale. Of course, he would need me. That baby somehow knew I would do this. Turning a couple corridors and winding paths, I made it to the familiar foyer. I gasped and hid behind a pillar. Lussuria was there arguing with Squalo. Luckily, they didn't see me. I went the opposite direction to the kitchen, peeking my head. It was clear. I jogged through it and went upstairs to the bedrooms, where Mammon, most likely, was expecting me.

"Ushi~ Is the peasant out of bed? How impatient of you." Belphegor appeared out of seemingly nowhere and I squeaked. At least it wasn't Squalo. I would have gotten an ea by now. Skull tucked himself into my hold like a turtle.

"I can't really stay in a room for so long," I smiled widely as he came closer to me.

"How does another mission sound?" Choking on my spit, I gaped at him. That was sudden. Why would I go on another mission?! Especially with how the last one turned out. A poker face formed and I became irked by his change of air. Wasn't he threatening me only a little while before? He might be bi polar.

"Like craziness. I don't want to go on any more missions for a good while." Belphegor stopped right in front of my face, nose nearly touching mine. A sharp knife appeared in h hand and I tense. Bringing it up to my cheek, he held the flat side up to my cheek. My eyes shift to his knife and I grinned.

"Why are you smiling, peasant?" There was a bemused glint in his eyes as his wry grin widened in response to my smug expression.

"You won't do it. You wouldn't cut me." The smile he had disappeared and he pressed the knife to my cheek, but not drawing blood. Gasping, the Arcobaleno in my arms held tighter.

"Wouldn't I? Are you doubting the prince?" I said nothing in return and kept my eyes open, challenging him. He glowered but didn't put his knife down. I blinked. I didn't actually expect him to hesitate. The result was final when he gently slid the knife and a thin line of blood formed on my face. Skull squeaked, worried for me. Smiling, I played with a strand of his hair, the baby instantly calming down.

"I guess I was wrong about you, Bel- sama. You're as heartless as ever." Sweatdropping, I cleaned the dribble of blood off of my cheek with a Kleenex that Skull handed me.

"Of course. I'm the prince and you're my peasant and it will always be that way. Ushi shi shi shi~" His joyful giggles brought a smile on my face. That was just Bel being Bel. shook my head and started walking away. Mammon still needed to talk to me.

* * *

Scratching my head, I still didn't understand. Skull was hyperventilating; he really didn't want me to go.

"Cheyenne, you're our hope. Or so says Reborn." I drag my hands down my face.

"But, Mammon-chan! I don't even look Japanese!" Mammon nodded.

"I know." Sweatdrop. Skull tried to reason with the greedy baby, but to no avail. Tonight, I'm supposed to board a plane to Japan. Why? Because this shady Reborn person requested it.

"D-does Xanxus -sama know?" Skull jumped into my arms, and I rubbed his hair. He was worried for me. I was a complete foreigner and I didn't know what the Japanese customs were. How can I try to not stick out like a sore thumb? It would be challenging enough to not be an idiot. God help me.

"No. He doesn't know. I intend to keep it that way. No one will know." Sighing, I closed my eyes and looked down solemnly.

"How long will I be there?" I looked up at the baby hopefully. He didn't seem to know the answer.

"I don't know... Until we're cured, I suppose." Frowning, tears gathered in my eyes.

"H-how long will that t-take?" My voice cracked and my throat was tight.

"It could be a week. It could be a few months. You might never come back." I hiccuped and put my hand on my mouth.

"Viper! How can you say that so easily?! That's your family!" Skull voiced out. Mammon shook his head and floated further from us.

"I say this because think about it, Skull: If she is really the answer, we don't have to be in these bodies anymore. It comes at a small cost."

"Why me? Why not Levi? Or -or Reborn? Do I have to risk my happiness for someone I don't even know? How dumb is that?" Mammon stayed quiet. My hands held my pants tightly. I was getting tired of being ordered around. It was enough that Xanxus tells me what to do, now a baby that I didn't know wanted me to do his manual labor.

"I don't know, but I know you can be trusted." I wiped my tears.

"Out of anyone I know, you are the only person that can be trusted with this task." My gaze shifted to the floor again. Skull wiped a tear that reached my chin.

"Don't worry! I won't let you be lonely!" The purple Arcobaleno stood up on my lap in a heroic pose. I giggled and smiled sadly.

"Thank you." Mammon interrupted our moment to give me one last sentiment.

"Don't tell anyone. Not even Squalo, Lussuria, Belphegor, no one. Don't act strangely. Today is a normal day." Jumping up, I was upset.

"I can't say goodbye?!"

"Wouldn't that be defeating the point?" My fists clench and the baby leaves the room to let me think. I sit on the side of the bed before laying down. Covering my eyes, I sigh Well, if I couldn't talk to them, what was the point of leaving the room? I'm gonna take this as a day off. They can survive a day without me, right? Yawning, I cover myself in a blanket. They still thought I was in the infirmary, anyways.

"Skull? Close that door for me." He nodded, skipping off to do what I said. Skull jumped on the bed into my arms. I smile and cuddle him. At least I wouldn't be alone. We drifted into dreamland.

* * *

It was chaos. Absolute chaos.

Squalo was yelling at Lussuria for forgetting about the casserole in the oven. Belphegor was pouting like no one's business because his 'peasant' wasn't there to make him food. He'd have to settle for Lussuria's burnt mess of a food.

"WHAT HELL DOES THE BOOK SAY ABOUT THE BEANS?!" Lussuria clicked his tongue.

"Cook for fifteen minutes before pouring on the sauce..." Squalo banged his head on the wall from frustration. Unfortunately for them, they put the sauce in to cook with the beans, creating an awful explosion that looked like green diarrhea.

"This is why idiots shouldn't cook." Belphegor had a permanent frown on his face, stomach grumbling painfully from hunger. He was starving, yes, but he wouldn't come twenty feet near that shit. It was like a five-year-old decided to play 'house' and managed to burn the Easy -Bake Oven.

"VOIIII! BRAT! IF THERE'S A FUCKING PROBLEM, THEN YOU TRY TO MAKE IT!" Squalo swung his sword around and started threatening the prince. Said prince chuckled and waves him off.

"Did you forget? A prince doesn't do manual labor. Ushi shi shi shi~"

"VOIIIII!"

"Mah! Don't fight! The yelling is disturbing the meatloaf!" Lussuria tried to calm down the two bickering. Levi and Xanxus didn't want to participate. Xanxus was doing paperwork and Levi was there to do whatever a Levi does. Mammon had gone off to do some 'business' which left the gay sun guardian, Sephora Superbi, and a shaggy dog.

These three were so dysfunctional that even Maury couldn't help them. Who's the daddy? Not Xanxus, that's for sure. Shit, if he saw the mess that they were making, he'd disown them in a second flat. Cheyenne wasn't allowed to do work today thanks to her injuries. Lussuria insisted on her getting back to work because 'laying down all day wouldn't he cure a bullet wound'. Squalo was extremely anal about this and told Lussuria off with a series of curses and 'voi's'. Thank you, Papa Superbi, for taking care of our health.

 _(Squalo would be a good dad, don't you think?)_

"Ka-ching." Belphegor was bored without his peasant to tease and play with. Squalo's yelling was wearing on his ears and he could only take so much of Lussuria's flamboyant nature before getting a headache. He went unnoticed as he left, going to find his peasant. She wasn't in the infirmary, as he already knew, so he went to the place he saw her last, Mammon's room.

He smirked like a fox as he saw her sleeping form on the bed. She looked so peaceful.

"Lazy peasant." That was ironic, coming from him. Belphegor went over to her side and scowled deep enough to intimidate Mariana's trench. Laying on her chest was a baby. The prince wasn't one to get angry, but right now, he would love to kick the baby into oblivion. How dare he try to sleep with his peasant? Picking up the Arcobaleno by the a he hung him in the air, waiting for him to wake up. Skull rubbed his eyes with his tiny hand and yawned. His eyes widened like saucers when he saw Belphegor with a frown on his face, looking directly at him. The Arcobaleno squeaked.

"H-hello?" A rather threatening laugh echoed in the air.

"What are you doing on my peasant's chest? That belongs to me. Ushi shi~" Although he said that with all the seriousness in the world, it sounded kind of ridiculous.

"S- sleeping?" Skull whimpered. That was the problem. Belphegor liked breasts.

 _(I would have thought he was more of a booty man, but whatever floats his boat. Apparently his boat is powered by breasts.)_

The prince grinned and put the baby back on the bed. "I'm feeling generous today. Next time, your head will roll at my feet, emo baby." Skull pouted. He was not emo! Belphegor shook her and she groaned in her sleep. When she woke up, she was met with Bel's grin and model- like pose on the bed. All that was left was for him was to ask to be painted like a French girl.

"Bel-sama? What are you doing here?" Her eyes were puffy and her lips were pouty. She yawned.

"Visiting my peasant~ The shark and Lussuria are arguing. We need you down there before the kitchen explodes. Ushi~"

"You guys can't work properly without me, huh?" A light giggle bubbled from her lips and Bel's grin widened.

"I'll be fine because I'm the prince. Ushi shi shi shi~" [Name] smiled sadly, knowing that this would be the last time she would see the Varia for a while.

"Belphegor?" His ears perked, curious when she used his whole name instead of 'Bel -sama'.

"Can I ask for a favor?" The prince playfully swung a knife on his finger.

"Haven't I done you enough favors?" She chuckled but turned serious again. She would owe him so much when she got back, but for now, she wanted to relish in this moment.

"...Can I have a hug?" Belphegor's grin reached a new record. The insides of his cheeks hurt from so much smiling. His arms open, expecting her.

"Since I'm so nice, I'll allow it~" She let him hold her as he wrapped her in his arms. There was a surprising sense of comfort she received from the hug. After being threatened to death and having a part in his sadistic games, she expected to be tense, but it was the opposite. Exhaling, she closed her eyes. There was no knife on her back, no mischievous laughter, no wrath in his hold. It was a pure hug. The peace was cut short by Belphegor's comment.

"When did you last shower? Your hair smells like blood. Ushi~ Not that I mind~" She laughed.

"Sorry, Bel-sama. I should wash it soon."

He looked down at her and playfully teased, "You should shower with me. I'll make sure to clean you well~" Her face exploded into a tomato shade, suddenly feeling compromised by being so close to him. She pushed herself out of his hug and turned around to calm her face.

"T-that's so naughty, Bel -sama!"

"Ushi~"

* * *

A frown played on my lips, my luggage being carried off into the limo. It was time. I didn't even have the strength to speak with the rest of the Varia because if I did, I would be able to hold my tears. Squalo would probably somehow break some other appliance and I would turn into a fountain knowing I wouldn't hear him yell at any more dishwashers. Already missing his loud, gruff voice, I wondered how I would get up in the morning without listening to the occasional 'VOI' and 'BRAT'. And my Mama? Who would comfort during my period pains and cramps? God knows how disgusted Belphegor was when he found out girls bled out of their vaginas. He was about ten and he thought I was an a for a while. Speaking of Bel, I would miss him. His sadistic nature, annoying pet names, and the late night horror movies; I'll miss it all. At least I had him in good memory.

Gosh, It felt like I was dying. Well, in a sense, I was.

"Ms. Ballotelli? Are you ready to go?" Mr. Hohome looked at me through the mirror. I gave the mansion one last look and nodded. I watched as it disappeared in the distance, also with my smile. Skull held my hand and squeezed it. He tried to reassure me. I forced a light grin and leaned my head back against the seat, a song playing on the radio.

* * *

The plane tickets in my hand seemed to stare me down. It was dark and I was sleepy. Blink. Skull was peacefully residing in my arms and I envied him. I was so worried; where would I go when I got there? A loud, female voice came from the speakers.

"Boarding the 2:00 plane to Tokyo Japan." I stared at my plane ticket, noticing that was my call. Adjusting my backpack and luggage, I went to stand in line. I peaked around a crotchety older woman to see that there were very few people on the flight. I was glad it was at least going to be peaceful, especially since it was going to be a thirteen-hour flight. If everything went how it was supposed to, I should arrive in Tokyo by 10:00pm to get on the subway to Namimori as Mammon directed. So basically, I would be dead tired by the time I reached my temporary residence.

Great. Sarcasm.

The woman punched my ticket, not literally, and gave me a smile before I went through the tunnel. Making my way to my seat, I huffed before attempting to put my luggage the bag-holders above me. Attempting being the key word. I became frustrated when my luggage fell. A handsome man with blonde hair and a green parka came from behind me to help. He put my bags in then put his in while slamming it shut.

"Thank you so much!" His grin was wide upon hearing my fluent Italian.

"You're welcome, ma'am. Is this your seat?" I nod and his smile grows.

"Mine, too." I sat Skull in the window seat before buckling his and my belt buckle. The man is in the aisle seat.

"Passengers, welcome to your Tokyo flight. Please buckle your seat belts and turn off any appliances..." A man on the intercom began explaining the basic rules and procedure while I zoned out.

"Why are you going to Tokyo? Tourism?" I turn my head to face the tall man. His smile was dazzling. Rubbing my head, I tried coming up with an excuse.

"Er...It's hard to explain..." He chuckled.

"I can understand that." He held his hand out to me with a smile and I shook it.

"What's your name?"

"Cheyenne. It's nice to meet you...?"

"Dino. Dino Cavallone." We share a fleeting glance before a stewardess comes down the isle. I stared at her butt for a lot longer than I cared to admit.

"Your Italian is very good." He complimented me and I blushed. Gosh, he was so cute. What rock have I been living under!? Squalo was a woman, Lussuria was also a woman, Levi acted like an obsessed woman, Mammon was jail-bait, Xanxus was scary, and Belphegor no doubt, also a woman. I need to get out of the house more.

"Thank you. I've lived in Rome my whole life." He frowned, somewhat worried for me.

"Why Japan? Won't it be hard for you?" I exhaled; he was right. But I had no choice.

"I speak Japanese. It's...um...a requirement for my job." A smile appeared on his lips.

"Wow! It must be a hard job, having to speak multiple languages."

"Yeah? Well, it's definitely fun." I giggled. Or not. Memorizing seven languages is not easy.

"Tell me about it. We have a lot of time, right? It's a way to pass the time." Although the idea made me nervous, I agreed reluctantly.

"Okay then. My life really started when I was about eight..."

* * *

I had the biggest headache in the world. We spent nearly the entire flight just talking about each other's life story. I, of course, left out the details of me being in the Varia. Skull woke up halfway through to tell me that I was supposed to meet Reborn. It was at that point that my lie was revealed. Dino was pretty shocked when he learned that I knew of the Arcobaleno's existence. I told him all about Reborn and what he was making me do. He wasn't surprised by it, just disappointed with Reborn.

"You should probably get on the train now." I yawned and thanked him. The blonde offered to drive me there, but I insisted on going on the train. He probably had more important things to do than babysit me.

"Okay. I'll see you again?" My eyes were hopeful and he beamed at me.

"Of course. Goodbye." We waved before going our separate paths. I walked a couple of blocks to the train station. Eyelids beginning to droop, I sighed. How I would love to get a bed and just let myself go. Out of the dark, a man came running to me. When he reached me, he was panting up a storm.

"A-are yo-you... Cheyenne?"

"Yes?" I wondered what this man could possibly want with me.

"Reborn sent this." When I was going to thank him, he ran off. How strange. I opened the envelope and on it were a set of directions, in Japanese, no less. Curse you, Reborn matter how much Japanese I knew, I also knew that things worked differently here. I clicked my teeth and read it aloud so Skull could hear as well.

 _'Namimori district. Get on the train to Namimori and find this address: 34 Hondonke St. 0640941_

 _This is where you will be staying. There's a nice amount of money there, but don't get comfortable. Go find a job. The rent doesn't pay itself. I recommend the TakeSushi shop. It pays well._

 _Have fun. I will see you soon._

 _~Reborn'_

I dragged my hand down my face. The doors to the subway opened and I glanced over the note again while sitting in a seat. Namimori. It sounded so nice. Like a small town, a peaceful town.

What I didn't know was just how not peaceful it would be.

* * *

 **If there are any errors, PM me and I will rectify them as soon as I can! If you have any character/episode/plot you want me to write about, tell me and I might include it! Please leave a review! I love reading them!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 : Namimori's Prick of a Prefect**

* * *

"Umm? Excuse me! Uh...sir!" I sighed. No one was helping me find this place.

 _Hondonke Street._

How much weirder could a street name get?! We were both tired of scavenging for this place. No one seemed to want to help, either. Japanese people were so cold compared Italians. You could walk on the street with a wad of cash in plain sight and unless someone was in the Mafia, they wouldn't take your money! These people were suspicious of everything. I swore I saw that old lady just a few minutes ago! Weren't we walking in opposite directions?! Now she was whispering about something, presumably me, to this guy with some seventies hairdo! Seriously, who has that hair style nowadays? It felt like I just walked into a greaser movie. Speaking of the greaser guy, he was walking straight towards me. Is the Yakuza a real thing? I hoped to god that I was horribly mistaken.

"Ma'am? The residents say you've been causing a disturbance. What appears to be the problem?" EXCUSE ME?! A problem?!

"I'm a disturbance?! That's ridiculous! I've been asking for directions for the last half hour!" I was tired of being a nice girl. There's obviously something wrong with these people The old woman from before frowned and shook her head. That made me angrier.

"And you!" I pointed directly at the old woman and she took on a look of innocence. Stupid old lady. The man sweatdropped and tried to calm me down.

"O-oi. Plea-"

"Stop following me, you hag! I'm not evil and I'm not here to do anything! I just want to go home!" I huffed as my shoulders rose and fell from releasing tension. She turned and began crying into her sleeve. The man from before sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Skull grabbed my pants leg.

"...I think you should calm down." Closing my eyes, I exhaled slowly a couple of times. Be cool, me. Be cool...

"Are you done?" I nodded and looked at him, awaiting what he had to say.

"Come walk with me. Show me this...address you're looking for." I grinned and rubbed my neck, feeling guilty for exploding in his face.

"Sorry, Mr..."

"Kusakabe. That's what they call me, Mrs." I blushed in embarrassment. It's safe to say he's not in the Yakuza. He was pretty nice. Skull walked at my side, relieved it was over. Looking over my shoulder, I no longer saw the old woman.

"Would you mind me seeing the address of your home?" He smiled gently at me. I stared at the paper in my hands. Against my better judgment and years of experience with Varia, I gave it to him. We stopped walking for him to decipher the paper. Putting his index finger and thumb on his chin, he hummed in understanding.

"I see...well! We're pretty close to Namimori Middle! How convenient! Are you enrolling?" He stopped to give me a happy glance. Middle? As in _'Middle School'_? It would make more sense if I was in high school, but I wasn't about to question it. This Reborn person seemed to have everything under control. Perking up, I answered wholeheartedly.

"Yes! How did you know?" Kusakabe laughed.

"I can tell. You look young-" My eye twitched, "Plus, Namimori Middle is a great school. I'm sure you'll like it."

I was sixteen. _Sixteen._

What about me said middle-schooler? His eyes held a question in them.

"Although you look a little out of place in a middle school." A vein popped on my forehead. He held his hands up defensively.

"Sorry! I don't mean to hurt your feelings. It was just an observation." I sighed.

"It's okay, Kusakabe-san." I heard a rumble and looked down to see Skull rubbing his tummy with a sad face. Giggling, I pick him up and kiss his cheek. Kusakabe suddenly gaping like a fish. Shit! I forgot that these people didn't know about the Arcobaleno.

"Is...is that your baby?" The man was absolutely paralyzed to his spot. I sputtered for a response.

"No no no! Absolutely not! This is er, my nephew! Yeah! I'm supposed to take care of him." Laughing nervously, I hoped he would buy it. Thankfully, he visibly relaxes.

"Thank goodness. God knows how he would react to a mother in school..." He trailed off and I tilted my head. Who was 'he'? The principal? It would be logical. Having a '16 a Pregnant' star at your school wouldn't be something you would boast about. No matter me being an adult.

"Cheyenne~ I'm hungry~" Skull whined. I was relieved to see him playing along with my excuse. Kusakabe chuckled from beside me.

"Well, it would be an honor to walk you home. After all, it's late and a young girl like you shouldn't be walking around alone." I smiled and decided to leave out the part that I trained for things like this.

"Thank you, Kusakabe- san." We walked to my new address and I smile as we conversed. He was pleasant company if you just ignore his appearance. When we got there, I nodded in approval of my new home. It was nice and tidy for a house made for only one person. I waved a goodbye.

"Ah, Cheyenne! Wait just a second!" He jogged up to me and showed me his number. I smiled and pulled out my own mobile, cheekily grinning at the charm that was hanging at the end of it. No matter how many times Belphegor called me a peasant, he gave me a small charm with a crown on it. I've never taken it off. I put his number in my phone gave him a thumbs up.

"What's this for?" He put his phone back in his pocket and gave me a worried glance.

"You never know what might happen. I'm giving you my number for safety. If you ever have a problem, don't hesitate to call." I nodded and gave him my number, too.

"Also, since you're enrolling in Namimori Middle, you might get lost. Just ask the teachers for Kusakabe. I'll be there to help." My previous negativity towards the town of Namimori melted away. It felt like a home away from home. I bowed a full ninety degrees and beamed at the greaser. I wasn't that culturally unaware. Asians typically bow as a sign of respect. And no, Belphegor didn't teach me that! I learned that on my own!

"Thank you so much, Kusakabe-san! I appreciate it!" He ruffled my hair before tucking his hands in his pockets and walking home. I waited for him to leave and then walked the house, collapsing on the ground.

"Hey! Wake up!" I groaned.

"Skull~ Just let me sleep~ There's food in the fridge...probably." I yawned as the Arcobaleno waved his arms in the air.

"Hey!"

* * *

"OI. Wake up." A hard kick to my side made tears gather. I was definitely awake now. The sun was shining in my eyes gently, but the ground felt like hard bricks. It was as if only slept for five minutes. When I looked up, I gaped to see a baby in a fedora.

"Ciaosu~ I'm Reborn." I growled. Swinging my arms out, I tried grabbing the baby's legs only for him to jump on my head. Ouch. This was Reborn? I was right in assuming was a jerk.

"That's not nice. You should be treating me with respect, Cryenne."

"H-hey! I don't cry! ...often." My voice was meek as the baby stepped off my head. I sat into criss -cross position and rubbed the spot where he hit me. Reborn smirked.

"Better. Now, my lackey is sleeping upstairs- " I'm going to assume his lackey is Skull. Poor Skull. "- You should probably get ready for school." I scratched my head and yawned. School? I've never been to school before. I was suddenly excited and anxious.

"You should eat first. You'll need your strength. The uniform is on your bed."

"Uniform?"

"It's a requirement here." I nod and grin. A uniform? I thought only adults wore those. It must be some kind of strange discipline.

"Okay~" Reborn held his finger up, wanting to tell me something else. I listened, eager. It appeared that my previous anger towards the baby had disappeared, but how can someone be mad at something so cute?!

"You might meet my student. You two are in the same homeroom. Try to befriend him. We're trying to grow a family." Although I had no idea who this person was, from the he was speaking, I could tell he would be easy to pick out from a crowd.

"School starts in five minutes. I suggest you make yourself some lunch. It's a Japanese thing." The baby left me to sit there, baffled. Five minutes wasn't a lot of time. I shrug. What would the damage of being late be? Probably not important since it was my first day. I walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a random bowl. Let's see what food I have...eggs. I like eggs! I cracked them into a pan that was casually laying there. It was quiet. It felt strangely...nice. No screaming, no knives, no midday wine glasses. Man, I could get used to this!

I cut some tomatoes and took out a couple of saltines to accompany the food. When the eggs were finished, I sprinkled some pepper and salt before serving myself. In the refrigerator was a jug of apple juice. Shrugging, I poured that in a cup and sat down by myself. Swinging my feet, I hummed as I ate. It was nice and calm~

When I finished, I took it upon myself to make some sushi and veggies. I cut some celery and lightly cooked a tiny stock of eggplant. I put some wasabi on top to spice up my lunch. No matter what country I was in, I sure could cook! Checking the clock, I saw that it was 7:30. I was late by fifteen minutes, but I still haven't taken my shower! I ran the stairs and sloppily took my shower before finishing in two or so minutes. My uniform was nicely ironed and pressed when I put it on. Brushing my hair, I adjusted my clothes and hair before jamming the lunch I prepared into the bag that Reborn left on the bed.

* * *

It was a sunny and breezy day so I took my time and admired the beauty of the strange town. Looking down at my watch, I saw it was 7:42. Almost thirty minutes late. In the distance, I saw the school and bit my lip anxiously. I was so excited to be in a school for the first time.

Upon reaching the gates, I noticed they were closed and I tilted my head. I shook them a little bit. What the heck?! Did they not allow late students in?! Sounds kind of dumb to me. I waited about five minutes and when I realized no one was going to open the gate, I frowned. I would have to take this into my own hands. Throwing my bag to the other side, I rubbed my hands together and began climbing. It was ridiculous how high up this gate was! Although I was rushing to get over it, I was careful to not let my clothes tear. A deep voice from past the gate nearly made me fall from shock.

"Herbivore. You're late by thirty-two minutes." Closing my eyes, I faced the sky. God help me if this guy was getting an eyeful of my undies. Which I had chosen some pink ones with baby -blue bows, if you were curious. A bang on the gate made me squeal.

"Eep! Hey, stop that!" What was wrong with this guy!? I was in a precarious situation and he was just banging on the gate like no one's business! Turning to glare at him, my breath caught in my throat, esophagus, stomach, you name it! One look in his smoldering gray eyes and I nearly fainted. Damn. What's up with Japan and the attractive people? I sat there, at the top of the gate, staring. He suddenly pulled out some metallic thi- tonfas?! He couldn't be older than sixteen, I guessed. Who lets a kid have tonfas on public grounds?!

"Get down from there or I'll bite you to death." Wait what?! Was he a cannibal?! Kusakabe lied! This school is horrible! I began hyperventilating. How would I get out of this situation?! Well, it's now or never. Jumping down, I regain my balance clumsily before sprinting away from him and almost tripping a few times.

"Kyaaaa!" The handsome, but scary cannibal was running after me. He was really close on my tail. I was surprised; no one could usually keep up with my running. That was s my talent! But there was a problem. I had no idea where I was going! This guy probably knew this school better than I did. I turned a few corners, hoping to throw him off. Unfortunately, he was still hot on my trail.

"Stop chasing me! I'm late! I get it! Please leave me alone, Cannibal-san!" That seemed to tick him off because he swung a tonfa at my head. Skillfully dodging it, I thanked Squalo for years of training. I noticed a room with a black door and above it reading 'Disciplinary Committee Room: DO NOT ENTER.' Disciplinary Committee Room? This guy seemed like a total delinquent, so I burst in, hoping that he wouldn't follow. How wrong I was. The room had a beautiful decor, I noticed, but it appeared that I would ruin that. I jumped on a desk before jumping on a couch all the while knocking over papers and decorations. The guy that's been following was staring at me threateningly. He didn't give a fuck about the law.

"Cheyenne?!" I looked behind me to notice Kusakabe. My eyes brightened with hope.

"Kusakabe-san! Please save me from this cannibal! He chased me all the way in here!" Kusakabe blinked a few times and sweatdropped while rubbing his neck. A few of the people, who looked a lot like Kusakabe for some reason, tried to stifle their laughter. Others were just glaring at me.

"You're disturbing the peace of Namimori and my room. Prepare to be bitten to death." Just as the guy readied his weapons of mass destruction, Kusakabe waved to him nervously.

"Ah, Kyoya! Don't cause her harm. She just got here." He shiftily glanced at me and Kusakabe before putting down his tonfas.

"Explain why you're here, Herbivore." I blinked and crossed my arms. Who did this guy think he was?! Ordering me around like that...

"That's really rude, you know. I eat plants and meat. That makes me an omnivore. It's better than being a cannibal any day!" I stuck my tongue out and Kusakabe held my shoulder in disapproval. The guy pulled out his tonfas again. I could take insulting nicknames any day, but not from this guy! He barely knew me!

"Detention. One hour after school. I expect you to be here. On time, Herbivore." A knowing smirk appeared on his lips and I frowned. Douchebag... Kusakabe shook his head and apologized.

"I'm sorry, Kyoya. She wasn't this like this when I met her." I suddenly felt bad. Kusakabe had to apologize for something I said, but at the same time, it made me angry. Re who the hell was this guy? I clicked my tongue and bowed.

"I'm sorry for my behavior, Kyoya." When I lifted my head, I narrowly avoided another tonfa swing.

"Don't call me Kyoya, Herbivore." Cursing, I stomped out of the room, Kusakabe following closely behind me.

"You were lucky back there. If I wasn't there..."

"It sounds like he would beat me up!" He frowned.

"Something along those lines." Gaping, I stared at him.

"Why is he still at this school?! And acting like that, too!" The greaser chuckled.

"Hibari Kyoya. The scariest person in Namimori. They call him the king of the school. No one messes with him. I think you might be the first person to talk to him like that." I rubbed my head. It was a bit impressive how he managed to keep up with me, but whatever! He was still a punk in my eyes!

"So why was he in the Disciplinary Room with you guys? Why don't you stand up to him, Kusakabe-san?"

"You see... Hibari is my boss." I nearly choked on my spit. That brat?! The leader of the Disciplinary Committee, no less! I was starting to sound like my sharky family member. They rub off on me too much. But you know what? It seemed right. An uptight, power hungry, delinquent as the leader of a law-abiding committee. Ironic, but cool.

"I guess it makes for good recreational activity." Kusakabe laughed next to me.

"I hope you won't cause any more problems, right? I may not be there to calm him down next time." He places his hand on my head as we reached the classroom I was expected to be in. I smile nervously.

"I'll try not to make him mad at me...too much. Thank you, Kusakabe-san." I bowed and he opened the door to the classroom. When I went in, people gasped. Kusakabe left hurry and I stood in the front of the classroom.

 _"Ehh?! The thugs took her to class?"_

 _"Is she one of those punks, too?!"_

 _"Don't say that! Hibari could hear you!"_

I blushed, not used to so much chatter about me. The teacher slapped a ruler on the table, successfully making everyone shut up. He smiled and waved his hand. Oh! I've heard of this! Belphegor told me that when you join a class, you have to present yourself. Hopefully, I wasn't too far off with that assumption.

"Hello, everyone! My name is Ballotelli Cheyenne! I'm from Italy originally, but I came to Japan to live here. I hope to get along with everyone and make lots of friends!" I bow again and give my widest smile.

 _"She's kind of cute..."_

 _"You nuts, Hiro?!"_

 _"But why was she with the Disciplinary Committee?!"_

 _"Is she Hibari's girlfriend?!"_

 _"Who's crazy enough?!"_

 _"He has good taste!"_

Closing my eyes, I tried breathing through my nose, but there was no hiding the vein throbbing in my forehead. Me? With that disciplinary douche? No way. The teacher sighs and smacked the ruler on the desk.

"Tsunayoshi-kun? Please raise your hand." A rather shy looking brunette shakily raised his hand while blushing. I smiled at him. He was adorable.

"Sit in the empty seat next to him." Doing as the teacher said, I plopped down next to him. He looked at me and when I made eye contact, he quickly whipped his head the other way. I tapped his shoulder and he blushed. I heard someone growl behind me and when I turned around, it was some grey-haired guy. Ignoring him, I put my attention back on Tsuna.

"Hi, Tsunayoshi-kun!" I yell-whispered to him and he reddened like a tomato. He made a strange 'HIEE' noise that made me giggle.

"Let's be friends, yeah?" Boys from behind me growled and so did this grey-haired guy. What was his deal?

 _"The tuna fish?!"_

 _"He's such a dork!"_

"Shut up! Don't talk about Juudaime like that!" I whipped around. This guy was kind of funny. And handsome. Thank you, Japan. I think we're on the 3 count?

 _(Keep track for me, reader.)_

Tsuna looked so crestfallen and it made me feel pity for him.

"Don't listen to those jerks! I think you're very nice." He smiled up at me and stuttered.

"Y-you really t-think so?" I nod furiously.

"Yup yup! Very cute, too!" He may or may not have fainted.

"Juudaime!"

* * *

"So for this part, you can pick your groups! Go ahead while I prepare the materials!" Boys whispered while looking at me and I redden. Some pushed their friends up to me and then started asking me questions.

 _"Are you rich?"_

 _"Are you in the Yakuza?"_

 _"Are you Hibari's sister?"_

 _"Idiot! She looks nothing like him!"_

I didn't want to work with these people.

"Please leave me alone. I want to be with my friend." They talked to each other before leaving me alone. I tapped Tsuna's shoulder. He squealed and sighed, relieved when he saw that it was me.

"Wanna work together?" He smiled and nodded with a blush on his cheeks.

"Juudaime! Are you sure!?" The octopus-looking guy that was yelling before he loomed over my shoulder. Tsuna nodded and waved his hands in front of himself.

"It's okay, Gokudera-kun! She's nice." Said guy grumbled before pushing his desk beside mine, leaving me in the middle of the two. I cleared my throat and propped my elbow on the table, looking at Tsuna.

"Are you gonna introduce me to your friend?" Tsuna stumbled for an answer as I threw Gokudera a worried glance.

"Ballotelli, this is Gokudera. Gokudera, Ballotelli." Gokudera smiled like a puppy would and announced with pride.

"Yup! I'm his Right-Hand-Man! If you want to hurt the boss, you have to go through me!" Hmm? What did that sound like? Mafia? Gosh, these kids were so obvious. Reborn sure knew how to pick them.

"It's nice to meet you, Gokudera-kun. I hope we can all be good friends!" A familiar smacking noise made everyone quiet.

"Okay, so we're going to..."

* * *

The lunch bell rang. I grabbed my lunch to eat. The boys from earlier came to my desk and started asking me what I brought and if I would give them some. I pushed past them. Obviously, I wouldn't get any peace here. All of the classrooms were full and I frowned at the idea of eating in the bathroom. There has to be someplace to eat in peace! I contemplated going in the disciplinary room, but after some consideration, I decided that the Hibari would be there to ruin my day again. I roamed the hallways for a few min before seeing a door. Twisting the handle, I saw that it was open. There was a flight of stairs and when I reached the top, I noticed I was on the rooftop.

Perfect!

No one would be up here, right? I ate my words. The exact person I didn't want to see was up here. Hibari. But you know what? I wasn't about to cower in fear. This guy was total show -off. I walked over and sat on a bench close to him, wanting to rub it in his face. Sasha fucking Fierce, right now. He opened his eyes, a permanent glare residing in them.

"Herbivore, get off my roof." I scoff.

"Who said that this was your roof, Kyoya?" He frowned and stood up, already in a battle stance. I sighed. If I wanted to stay on this roof, I'd have to speak his stupid 'carnivore and herbivore', language.

"Hibari -san, please. It's my first day. I promise I won't make noise. Please?" He hesitated for moment.

"One word. One word and it's double detention, herbivore." I pumped my fist internally. I still didn't like him, but I would bare with it. Opening my lunch, I smiled. Wasabi~ What was it that the Japanese say? Oh yeah.

"Itadakimasu~" Hibari stood up. There was a mouthful of food in my cheeks. I probably looked like a squirrel.

"Herbivore, you're testing me." His tonfas were poised for action and I tilted my head. Oh, I get it!

"Do you want one Kyoya- kun?" I held out my chopsticks with a piece of sushi on them, dangerously close to his face.

"Come on! Says 'aah'." I kept my mouth open to demonstrate, but he smacked the piece of sushi out of my hand with his tonfas. I pout.

"I was going to eat that!" I ducked as he tried to kick me. Fine. If that's how it was going to be. His tonfas swung at my head and he attacked me mercilessly. I ran off the roof and through the hallways with my half- finished food in hand. He swung at my head again as we maneuvered through the crowd, people staring at the scene incredulously. Du the chasing, he still managed to enforce the rules upon people.

"Stop crowding, herbivores." People quickly moved out of the way and gossip about the strange sight. Who would have known that the carnivore didn't like meat? Or maybe it was me trying to feed him? The I royalty I knew loved being fed. Different strokes for different folks.

Now, I wonder if he preferred breasts or butts?

* * *

The guys and I got along great! And to be honest, the only reason Tsuna caught my eye was because Reborn told me to become friends with his student. During one of our banters, he let his name slip while blushing and blubbering. Plus, Gokudera was so obvious that it made me facepalm. I mean seriously, 'Juudaime'? 'Boss'? 'Tenth'? 'Right -Hand-Man'? Good job being sneaky, Gokudera. I told them all about Reborn and how much I knew. Tsuna was visibly relieved when I explained everything and eventually got over initial shyness. So I was going to walk home with my new friends when he offered to go to his house. I couldn't deny him. I was actually really curious about how his house looked.

"So don't be friends with that guy! He loves baseball and that's it! So annoying, too!" At the moment, Gokudera was yammering off about a kid named Yamamoto. He was obsessed with baseball and the octopus hated his guts. That's all I gathered from his banter. The school athlete, happy go lucky, handsome, all of the stereotypes. I couldn't wait to meet him, though, in spite of what Gokudera said. More good- looking guys? Yes, please. But I had a sudden curiosity; was Reborn the reason all these people were gathering around Tsuna? I don't mean to be hurtful, but the kid was a loser otherwise.

"Reborn doesn't treat you very well, does he?" Tsuna slumped and nearly cried.

"Reborn is so mean! I've been shot by the last will bullet about 3 times now! I'm so tired of it!" I nod, understanding his pain.

"That damn baby is so cruel to the Tenth!" Thanks, Gokudera. I think I got it the first time. He reminds me of a better -looking Levi.

The instant we were about to leave school grounds, I got a call. It was Kusakabe.

"Hello? Kusakabe san?"

 _"[Name]?! What are you doing?! You're supposed to be in detention!"_ Tsuna and Gokudera overheard my conversation and became worried.

"Ballotelli-san? What's wrong?" My face dropped. Poo poo! I forgot.

"Why do you have detention?! On the first day, too!" Ignoring octopus -head, I listened to what Kusakabe was mouthing off about.

 _"Hurry up before Hibari gets here!"_ The phone hung up and Tsuna made his unusual squeal.

"H-HIEEEEEE?! DETENTION?! WITH HIBARI-SAN?!" The boy was shaking in fear. Damn! This Hibari person must be some kind of demon!

"OI! What the hell are you doing, mixing with guys like Hibari?! Are you crazy?!"

"Don't worry! That cannibal is a big phony! I'll be fine! I'll deal with it later." Tsuna stared at me in horror.

"Juudaime, she's trouble..." Gokudera murmured in Tsuna's ear while looking right at me.

"I'm right here, Gokudera-kun!"

* * *

"TADAIMA!" Man, I've always wanted to do that! It was so fun, despite it not being my house. Somewhere halfway through our walk, Gokudera waved his goodbyes and yelled at me to be careful with the Tenth. Someday, I planned on visiting Gokudera's home, too, even if I had to force my way in. I just couldn't help myself! These homes were so quaint and precious!

A woman that looks a lot like Tsuna came in the room with a bundle in her arms while shushing us.

"Shhh. Lambo-chan is sleeping." Tsuna paled. Lambo? Did they have a baby Lamborghini or something? What a weird name. I looked at Tsuna behind me, wondering what the deal was. I mean, it was just a baby, right?

"Ah! Are you Tsuna's new friend? Wah! You're so pretty!" I blushed from her compliments and Tsuna covered his face, embarrassed.

"Mama!" Tsuna groaned. Giggling, I bowed and gave her a big smile.

"Thank you, Mrs. Sawada! I'm pleased that you accepted me into your residence." The woman put a hand on her cheek and sang my praises.

"You can call me Nana! Or Mama! I'm pleased to see another one of Tsuna's friends!" She gave me a close- lipped smile and a flash of nostalgia crossed my mind. My mom was a lot like her, just a bit more aggressive and Italian. All moms are kind of the same in a way. Putting my bag down, I take off my shoes, remembering a lesson in Asian custom Belphegor taught me. Any good house guest, as a sign of respect, must take off their shoes before entering a house. A small yawn from her arms made everyone freeze except me.

"Mama -san! Lambo-san wants food!" It was...a cow? With an Afro? What the hell... When it turned around, I couldn't help my squeal. So cute~ Nana had a worried look when toddler jumped out of her arms and onto the ground. He rubbed his eyes cutely before looking up at me with its doe- like eyes.

"Hi, Lambo-san!" I bent down to his level and held his tiny hands in mine. Tsuna was rubbing his neck with a nervous smile. It was like he was waiting for something. There was small halt until the cow baby responded.

"You're pretty! Lambo-san likes you!" The baby cuddled my knee and I grinned. Picking him up, he wiggled and giggled in my arms.

"W -what?!" Tsuna was blinking while rubbing his eyes, "Is this real?!" He couldn't seem to believe his eyes. Lambo pointed at Tsuna angrily.

"Be quiet, Tunafish! Don't be jealous that the pretty lady likes Lambo- san more than you!" I blinked, suddenly understanding the situation. To be honest, I was pretty nonchalant about this. After all, my life consisted of dealing with whiny babies like Lambo.

"Lambo? Why don't you go have a snack with Nana- chan? Okay?" The baby cow's eyes glistened and he jumped out of my arms.

"Okay! Lambo-san will be good!" Lambo walked into the kitchen and patiently sat at the table while singing a random song and playing with a grenade in his hand. Children with grenades? I've seen it all at this point. Nana put her hand on her cheek and watched me in awe.

"Where's I-Pin?" Tsuna wondered.

"I-Pin is upstairs!" As she said this, an egg headed little girl climbs downstairs.

"I-Pin-chan! Meet Tsuna's new friend!" She looked a little strange, but her garments were so cute and puffy on her. I waved eagerly. How many children does Nana have?!

"Hello, I-Pin! I'm Cheyenne. Please just call me Che-chan." The little girl bowed and squinted at me. She made a silent kind of 'ohhhh' noise.

"I-Pin hopes Lambo-chan hasn't caused you any trouble!" Nodding, I patted her head while she went to the dinner table, too.

"H-how did you do that?" Tsuna was still having a hard time believing that I didn't use witchcraft to make Lambo listen to me. I smile and mentally cackle.

"I've had to deal with...children for years. This is nothing." Nana seemed extremely interested in this fact.

"You were a babysitter? How wonderful!"

Babysitting? You could call it that.

* * *

 **If there are any errors, PM me and I will rectify them as soon as I can! If you have any character/episode/plot you want me to write about, tell me and I might include it! Please leave a review! I love reading them!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 : Can We Throw Snowballs at Him, Instead?**

* * *

I changed the channel. All of this stuff was so boring! Apparently, students don't go to school in the winter. How was I supposed to know? Skull sneezed beside me.

"What's wrong? Got a cold?" He nods and leans his head on my lap, tuckered out. His hair was soft against my fingers. Yawning, I turn off the TV and stand up.

"Wanna go play outside?" The Arcobaleno frowns.

"No...it's snowing and I'm sick. Can you make me some soup?" It was snowing?! Cool! Catching myself, I slump. Poor Skull was sick and I was thinking about making snowmen My feet drag on the ground in my bunny slippers as I grab a few ingredients out of the cabinet. I boil some water and throw the vegetables in.

After I defrost the chicken, I come back to the couch and slouch. Skull sneezed again. I felt really bad just leaving him in the impure air. Climbing up the stairs, I look in the closet for blankets, but find none. Seriously? In the middle of the snowy weather and Reborn never bothered to give me extra blankets?! I sighed. The door to my room was open so I opted on just giving him blankets. My poor baby was sitting on the couch in a fetal position. Wrapping him in a cocoon, he relaxes and closes his eyes.

"Thank you, Cheyenne-chan. You're so nice to me." I smile and gently play with his hair. Going back to the kitchen to check on the soup, I go to prep the chicken. Eventually, finish de-boning and de-skinning it and plop it in the soup. If my calculations were correct, it should be finished in ten minutes. To pass the time, I sit in a seat by the window observe the layer of snow. It was beautiful. I've never seen snow in Italy and it was wonderful. I couldn't help thinking back to my family. Or well, the Varia and how they would react if they were here with me.

* * *

 _"VOIIIIII! IT LOOKS LIKE WHITE SHIT! WHAT THE FUCK!? IT'S IN THE DRIVEWAY, TOO!" Squalo swung at the ground with his sword, ineffectively damaging the snow._

 _"Ushi shi shi shi~ No escape, Shark Captain." The prince tried to make a snowman with his knives as limbs and noses._

 _"Shut the fuck up, scum. This shit is annoying. No going out today." Xanxus was a grouch when it came to this kind of thing. Lack of productivity from us._

 _"Mah! This is so pretty! Can someone give me an ice cream scoop?! Cheyenne chan? Be a dear~"_

 _Mammon touched the substance and frowned. "It's going to cost a lot to remove all this snow..."_

 _"Ice cream scoop?! VOI?! WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING, LUSSURIA?!" Belphegor seemed to get the idea and gathered a ball of snow in his hand before throwing it at Squalo's face._

 _"Bullseye~ Ushi~" He was so pleased with himself as he saw the bundle of white slide down Squalo's face, revealing a pissed off captain._

 _"Oh no~"_

 _"Scum..."_

 _._

 _"VVVVVVOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIII! YOU'RE DEAD, BASTARD PRINCE!"_

* * *

I giggle to myself. That would be so fun. But I quickly bring myself back to reality. They're too far away now. Blinking, I stand up and try to hold my tears. Come on! It's bee month already! Pull yourself together! I stir Skull's soup and serve it to him on a small table. He sits up and brings his pudgy hands to eat some. His nose runs a little bit and I find it cute. If he wasn't legally a grown man, I would adopt him as my own child.

"You can leave if you want. I'm gonna take a-" he yawned, "-Nap." I pinch his cheek softly and tilt my head.

"Are you sure? I can stay if you'd like." He shakes his head and coughs a little bit, pushing the soup away before wrapping himself up again.

"You probably want to go outside. I won't stop you. Goodnight." A grin splits on my face. I kiss his cheek and give him a quick nuzzle.

"Have a good nap, Skull." I grab a coat off the hanger and swing a scarf around my neck. Stopping for a minute, I notice that I unconsciously grabbed my Varia coat. Smiling sadly, I put it back and get a plainer, gray sweater. It was pretty cozy and I nod, leaving the house. My boots were snug on my feet as they trudge through the snow. Maybe I should visit Tsuna? Deciding yes, since he was my only friend, I speed- walk to his home.

* * *

The doorbell rings and Nana answers the door with a smile.

"Ballotelli-chan! Please come in! It's freezing outside!" After I knock off some snow from my shoes, I remove them before entering her humble home. She leads me over to the kitchen and I sit at the table. She hands me a cup of hot chocolate and I smile in thanks.

"What brings you here?" I didn't want to be rude and tell her I was looking for Tsuna.

"I was lonely." Placing her hand on her heart, she frowns lightly. God, I sounded like such a loser. Well, if I was honest with myself, I was kind of socially inept. The only friend had was the Varia and that wasn't saying much.

"You poor girl! You can come here anytime you want!" She really did remind me of my mom.

"Thank you...Mama." I smiled. That felt...good. The older woman held my hand and closed her eyes in a tight -lipped smile.

"It makes me so happy when people call me that. It's like I have a big family." Nodding, I looked into her eyes intensely.

"Mama...what do you do when you miss someone?" Her expression changes into thought.

"I try thinking of nice things like rabbits or the smell of a fresh pie or the day of your favorite birthday. Pleasant things." Nana holds my hand tighter and looks at me in worry. "Why are you asking?" Keeping my eyes open, I look at the ceiling, trying to prevent the tears. Reborn was right; I cry too much.

"I miss my famiglia." There was a pregnant silence until she stands up abruptly and I jump in surprise.

"Well, sulking around isn't gonna solve your problems!" Plucking me out of my seat, she hands me my boots and forces me to put them on.

"Er...what ?"

"You should go play with Tsuna and the others. That'll take your mind off things, right? Go have fun!" Not even a moment after I finish putting on my boots, she pushed out of the door.

"They're at Namimori!" The door closes.

Blink.

That was unexpected. A tiny smile appears on my lips. Thank you, Nana -san. I turn around and jog to the school grounds. My friends were there! Having fun without me? Bitch puh- lease! The party don't start till I walk in!

 _(Totally not a Kesha reference)_

* * *

When I arrive, I notice Reborn in a caveman costume. Tsuna gasps at my appearance.

"Cheyenne-san? Where did you come from?!" I frown and tilt my head, looking back in the direction I just came from. I point behind me.

"That way?" A guy with spiky hair laughs loudly and I grin.

"OI! Baseball nut! Focus!" From Gokudera's rude way of addressing him, I could safely assume that was Takeshi Yamamoto. I walked over to Reborn and sat next to him.

"Cheyenne is my co-referee. Ciaosu, Cryenne." The baby suddenly bangs on a gong. What the hell was going on?!

"Cheyenne! How are you doing?" I notice Dino off to the side and I smile, giving him a thumbs up.

"Hey, Dino-kun!" A woman with purple hair frowns and interrupts out moment.

"Mah! When are we going to start?" Reborn banged the gong again and suddenly it was all out war. Snowballs, dynamite, courtesy of Gokudera, and poison goo were thrown around. There was thorough confusion on my face. Reborn noticed and explained.

"It's a Mafia snowball fight. Whoever catches Leon-" he points at a moving toy car with a lizard's face on it, "-Wins. No rules. Just catch him." Nodding, I behold the handsome man that is Dino. I can't help myself and I chant for him to win.

"Go Dino-kun!" Dino looks back at me and winks. Noticing the men in suits running behind him, I gape. What the...

"OI! Woman! You should be cheering for the tenth!" He suddenly throws some dynamite and four people go down. I facepalm. Great job, knocking out your own team member and all that. A girl I didn't know casually sat beside me. She had bright orange hair and a girly vibe about her. It appears she noticed my gaze and smiled.

"Hi! I'm Kyoko! You must be Ballotelli-san! I've heard lots of things about you!" I smile and my head swells in pride.

"Good or bad things? I'm kidding, I'm kidding." I grin right back and she rubs her neck.

"Is it true that you and Hibari are together?" My eye twitches and suddenly have the urge to punch whoever started these rumors. She noticed my discomfort and apologized.

"Ah! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to assume! Everyone says it's true!" I shake my head and find my patience again. This prefect was wearing on my nerves.

"Well, I'm not. In fact, I really dislike him." Eyes wide, she gapes.

"Really? I saw a picture of you trying to feed him some sushi on the roof and I really thought..." She trailed off and a vein throbbed painfully in my neck. Seriously?! I've known the guy for _one_ month and there were already rumors? Who took that picture anyway?! Wouldn't we have noticed?!

"You really thought what?" I waited for her answer with bated breath.

"I thought you guys were an item. It isn't often that Hibari talks to girls." Slapping my hands on my mouth, my face turned red. I stifled my laughter with my hands. Hibari bigger loser than I was! She giggles with me. "Funny right? I should have known. He's too cold for a girlfriend." I nod in agreement. Reborn suddenly blows a whistle from behind us.

"Dame-Tsuna! Grab Leon!" Tsuna looks around frantically and responds with a loud 'HIEE'.

"Eh?! I'm the only one left?"

"That's right! Take this chance and get the Leon -Mobile!" Amongst all the talking, I didn't notice that everyone was officially out of the game and that Tsuna was the only one. Facepalming, I somehow knew that this would happen. Everyone protected their precious 'Tenth'. He ran after it for little before he fell flat on his face. Poor Tsuna. A failure t end. He gasps and I don't have to squint to see what he was surprised for. The bane of my existence was standing in all his ass-holish glory.

"I came here to have a snowball fight." He grabbed Leon and the lizard turned into a ball while sweating up a storm. I bit my lip, afraid that he would actually hit Tsuna with The prefect wound up his arm, but in the end, psyched us out. "But I have more important things to do. I have to do paperwork for the committee. Later." He lets Leon fall to the ground and turns to leave when Reborn smirks. I frown, not knowing why the baby was giving me a look.

"Hibari " the prefect turned around and I try punching Reborn. He jumps on my face and taps his foot on my head.

"Reborn! You bett-" He interrupted me and pointed at my face.

"I think you're missing something, Hibari." Hibari notices what Reborn's standing on and he smirks. He starts walking over here and I try pushing Reborn off, failing miserably. For a baby he sure was strong!

"Reborn! You cruel person!" I whine.

Tsuna calls out to me, "Cheyenne-san!" Every step the cannibal took towards me made a vein throb in my neck. I managed to avoid him for nearly a week, but no matter what he was determined to give me my punishment. Reborn must be holding a grudge for something I did because he would not get off my head. Reborn finally jumped off as Hibari picked me up by the scruff of my collar roughly. I pout, crossing my arms. As he drags me, presumably to his office, Kyoko sweatdrops and gives me a look saying 'are you sure?' Reborn waves us off with a 'good luck' and his same smile. I was feeling rather uncomfortable. Damn this prefect.

"I can't feel my butt, Kyoya." My head throbs when he smacks me with his tonfa. Hey! It was just a comment! Geez, this guy was so uptight!

"Ouch! Kyoya! That hurts!" He hit me again.

"Stop calling me Kyoya, Herbivore." Frowning, I pinch his thigh.

"But, Kyoya-" he swings and misses, "-My _butt_ is _cold_!"

"Deal with it then."

"I can't! You're the one dragging me! You're too mean! No wonder everyone is afraid of you!" He swings at my head and misses again.

"Be quiet." The gang stares off at our banter.

"Reborn...you're just going to let him abuse her like that?!"

"Don't worry, Dame-Tsuna. She's used to it."

"They're a funny duo!" Takeshi laughs.

"They are." Dino grins.

* * *

I wasn't expecting him to drag me the whole way. Well, he let me stand up at some point, but still kept a steady grip on my shirt collar. This wasn't a fun way to spend the d off. I could easily be drinking some cocoa at Nana's house with the gang, but now I was here with this jerk. We reached the committee room and he let me go. He went to sit his desk. Blinking, I look around, taking in the room. It was pretty and roomy with a nice view of the outside. Walking over to the window, I look outside at the snow with a smile. Like a blanket of white. Unconsciously, my hand touches the glass and I retract it with a wince.

"Cold..." I hear a small scoff. Whipping around, Hibari was watching me with a condescending stare.

"Are you done fooling around?" My tongue flicks out in teasing and he frowns. He lets it go. Hibari stands up and opens a cabinet from behind him. Inside was an assortment cleaning supplies. My head falls in discontentment. I thought I left behind my life as a janitor. It seems I had a misunderstanding somewhere along the way. He tosses me a dusty window wiper and some Japanese brand of Windex.

"What's this?" I lift up the objects, hoping that my assumption was wrong. He looks at me like I'm stupid.

"Your materials. Make this room spotless. Don't make too much noise, or I'll bi- "

"Or I'll bite you to death. I got it, boss." I salute him with a sarcastic look and he sighs before sitting back in his seat. I grab the window wiper and the Windex and start on the window. I don't know why he was making me do this; it was already glistening clean! My tongue pokes out in concentration as I effortlessly clean the window. The duster was pointless because there was no dust. Blinking, I wondered if Hibari was allergic.

"Are you by chance allergic to dust? Is that why you're making me clean?" The pen taps on his papers and he answers without looking away from his work.

"I'm not. I just wanted to punish you." My eye twitches. I turn to look back at him, his attention still on his papers.

"On a Sunday?! Why couldn't you do it tomorrow?! You know, a school day?!" Foot stomping, I put down the cleaning supplies to send negative vibes his way.

"If you forgot, you've somehow skipped my detentions. This is compensation." Groaning, I continue cleaning. In the corner of my eye, I see Tsuna and the gang walking home smiles on their faces. They looked so happy! Grinning, I twist around to another angle to watch. Lambo was crying and throwing grenades around. I- Pin had hearts in her eye some reason. Yes, they were that obvious. A 'clonk' to the back of my head interrupted my moment. I spot a broom on the floor and Hibari's glaring eyes.

"What was that?! I wasn't doing anything that time!"

"Stop looking at those herbivores and do your work." Sigh. He resumes his stack of paperwork and I start dusting the table in the middle of the room. Just like before, it was pristine and clean. I couldn't help my eyes rolling at how stupid this was. Really, I could just pretend to clean and it would be fine, but my nature wouldn't let me do that. We finish there, I move to the only other thing in the room that might need cleaning: his desk. Not even worried about his reaction, I was too focused on dusting. He, too, remain concentrated on his work, not paying me any mind.

It was then that I noticed the stack of papers on his desk. Gaping, I wondered how he could possibly get all of this work done. You could measure this crap with a ruler, for god's sake!

"Are you done cleaning?" He doesn't even look up to answer as he fills in boxes and empty lines with signatures and numbers. It was as if he was paying bills or something. Frowning, I can't help my curiosity, completely ignoring question.

"You do all this on your own?" There was a pause in his work as he looks up at my sympathetic eyes.

"Usually," was his curt answer as he resumes his dull labor. I felt bad. He probably spent all day on this. Grabbing a random chair from the other side of the room, I bring it b his desk and open his drawers to grab a pen. He glares at me and stops me with a hard hold on my arm. "What are you doing?" I grab a stack of papers and look at it, seeing it was damage costs as I suspected. Beaming at the prefect, I start doing some maths with a calculator that I found. Thank you, Belphegor, for teaching me math!

"Helping you. What does it look like?" I start filling in lines and he observes me to see if I mess up. He doesn't protest when I try to complete forms. A moment of silence passes and he grunts.

"Hn...If you make a mistake, I'll bite you to death." I nod and quietly help him finish his work. We don't even speak to each other.

* * *

Stacking up and lining up the completed papers, I sigh, satisfied with my work. It was passed noon and the sun was starting to set. I stretch. My stack was significantly less than his, but it was only because I had trouble with some parts. How long did I spend in this office? I was starting to feel a bit disoriented. The prefect kept working.

"Leave." Wow. Rude much. I shrug and walk to the door. I'd spent more than enough time around him, anyways.

"You're welcome." I turn back to him. He only grunts in response. Sigh. Well, I tried playing nice. So much for that.

I closed the door to his office and looked out of the wide windows. The sky was a mix of oranges and pinks. It's about time for me to get home. Skull probably missed me.

The journey was silent and bland. Tsuna and his gang were having a good time while I was doing work. Getting an idea, I lean against the gates of Namimori and call them. Okay, okay. Maybe I stole Gokudera's cell number, but hey, he left it vulnerable! It rung a few times before a familiar gruff voice croaked.

 _"Hello? Who is this?"_

"Hayato-kun! It's me!" There was some commotion in the background.

 _"W-what?! How did you-what the hell is your problem?"_ He quickly resigned. This was probably the norm for him.

"Are you at Tsuna's?"

 _"No. Everyone left the Tenth's place about ten minutes ago. Why?"_ Grinning, I hash up a mischievous plan. Why not have a little fun?

"Hayato-chan~ Your favorite friend wants to visit you!"

 _"No, woman!"_

"Aww! ...Why not? Seriously! I'm not as bad as you think." Using my most innocent voice, I try convincing him.

 _"Until you give me a real reason...no."_

"Err...well, I need to work on my science." The lie came out naturally. It was a stupid one, too. Facepalm. Dropping my act, I become tired of his interrogation. "Fine! I'll leave alone. See you tomorrow, best friend!"

 _"OI! We're not bes-"_ I hung up. Sorry, Gokudera, but you can be annoying sometimes. I look up at the sky to watch the sun setting. Legs dragging, I walk home with a slump snow was crunchy and the land around me was blanketed in white. Even the streets had a light coating of snow. I was in awe. It was like a fantasy world.

Along the way, I saw something that looked like a bazooka. What the hell was a firearm, let alone a bazooka, doing in the middle of the street?! Scratching my head, my curio took over as I go to inspect it. I wouldn't touch it, of course, but I saw that it was twitching. It suddenly popped up, startling me, and I fall on my butt. The bazooka shifted a pointed in a direction and shot a loud rocket that way. I cover my ears. This thing has a mind of its own! Dropping with a clang, it stopped moving. I slowly uncovered my ea Why did it fire that way? My better judgment was, again, not functioning and I went where the rocket went. What's the harm? It didn't blow up anything.

Before me was a cozy little spot called 'TakeSushi'. My eyes widened and I smiled widely. This was where Reborn told me to start working! I'm was going to take this opportunity to get a job since the winter break was coming soon. Approving my own plan, I opened it, a bell ringing and a smiling man with spiky hair greeting me.

"Welcome! Make yourself comfortable!" I sat on a small spinning chair in front of the sushi bar as the man resumed cutting up some fish. The way he did it was art. He filleted the fish and removed the bones with one swipe of his sword. I was shocked and amazed.

"You're technique is superb! I usually break the bones inside before I can even remove the spine!" Chuckling, he shook his head and put it on a plate before wiping his hands a rag.

"Would you like to learn? Business is slow today." Scratching my cheek, I giggled nervously.

"Well, I was going to ask for a job, but I doubt I qualify..."

"You're hired!" Gaping, I nearly choke on my own surprise.

"W-what?" He nods and grabs an apron off a hook to hand it to me. I grab it gently, smiling. "Thank you so much, Mr..."

"Yamamoto. You can call me Tsuyoshi, though. It's great to have an extra pair of hands around here! My son is always busy with baseball..." He frowns and starts cutting up fish again. Yamamoto?! I knew his name was familiar! And baseball? It only confirms that we were talking about the 'baseball nut'!

"Your son is Takeshi! He's a friend of a friend." The man grins and claps his hands.

"You know my son? That makes this much easier! Maybe if he sees a pretty girl working at his old man's place, he'll start working more!" My blush erupts on my face and I pull my scarf up to my cheeks and shake my head vigorously.

"It's not like that!"

"I'm messing with you. Don't worry. I'm just glad. No one really likes working in a sushi place. It's the smell."

"Ah? I'm not worried about that. I have an uncle back home that makes me give him sushi every day." Squalo. I smiled, thinking of him. My annoying, loud, vulgar, and overprotective shark.

"He should visit sometime!" Frowning, my head tilts down and I clench my hands around the apron.

"He's far away in Italy."

"Aish...I'm sorry about that. I'm sure he misses you just as much as you miss him." I nod and blink a bunch. Don't cry. Not here! Come on now!

"Don't worry. I'll get over it." Giggling, I successfully cheer myself up.

"Atta' girl! That's the attitude I like!" He hands me a plate with some onigiri and a tiny slab of salmon. My mouth waters and I eat it quickly. He grins. "Glad you like it! The more where that came from!" We talk for a while longer before I collect myself so that I could leave.

"I'm happy to see you, but I have to go home. Goodbye, Mr. Yamamoto!" I wave a goodbye and he yells back at me.

"You start tomorrow! Be here anytime!"

* * *

 **If there are any errors, PM me and I will rectify them as soon as I can! If you have any character/episode/plot you want me to write about, tell me and I might include it! Please leave a review! I love reading them!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 : Hospital Fun with Some Valentine Cheer**

* * *

My head was resting on the table. I was so incredibly bored. These few days of the break have been so bland! The day consisted of taking care of Skull for most of the morning before going to Tsuna's place and hanging out with him while witnessing Reborn's abuse first hand. After that, my afternoon shift at TakeSushi started, to Yamamoto's joy. He really enjoyed seeing me and working with me, even if I messed up a bunch. And I was supposed to be a good cook! Lies!

BUT! Today was different!

"Yo! Skull, I'm going to Tsuna's place. I'll see you!" The Arcobaleno was too busy listening to his show to answer me. I grab my keys and a coat for later.

I was really happy to see I -Pin. The egg- headed baby and I got along really well, I have no idea why. We kind of just clicked. Lambo still called me a pretty lady and would always listen when I told him to do something. I've had a few close calls with that bazooka of his. Gokudera and I didn't exactly get along. Well, we're secretly best friends, he just d want to admit it. Yamamoto was my coworker and I enjoyed talking about sports that I liked playing in Italy with him.

Kyoko and Haru were kind of irritating. It could have something to do with not being around girls like them in my life. All of the women I knew were more like Bianchi; angry violent, and respectable. Those two were so girly that it made me groan sometimes. But the main reason was because Haru keeps shipping me with Hibari. Seriously? What did a girl have to do to get that prefect off her back? Everyone was starting to agree and it was annoying. Thanks a lot, Hibari. You've ruined me. But If he found out, I would be the one to pay the consequences instead of them. I was starting to think Hibari just liked seeing me suffer.

I lived for Kyoko's brother, Ryohei, though. Out of all of Tsuna's strange friends, Ryohei was the closest I could get to family. Loud, boisterous and all around fun to be around.

TO THE EXTREME! Yes! I wish I could join the boxing club to learn some moves, but sadly, they didn't allow girls. I had no hope for any other clubs, either. The nature club with a bunch of dendrophiles, I've never played chess in my life and the sports were too strict. Nothing was me.

Finally reaching Tsuna house, I sigh and knock on the door and it opens to reveal a very distraught Gokudera.

"Bes-" He pushes me in the house before slamming the door closed and collapsing on the floor. The grey-haired teen was crying elephant tears.

"H-hey, Gokudera! What are you crying for?" I rub his back in an attempt to comfort him.

"The Juudaime is suffering and it's my fault! I've failed as his right-hand-man!" I roll my eyes. Ignoring the wailing idiot, I go over to Dino. Finally, a sane person. A visually pleasing person, too. Wink.

"Ah! Cheyenne! How are you?" I sit in front of him and smile. He was as handsome as I remembered.

"Great! I'm even better knowing that you're here." Dino chuckles and shakes his head.

"Don't fall for me okay? The mafia isn't something you want to get involved in." The blonde winks and I hold my sarcastic comments. It was too late for that. Mafia was some I've known for a long time.

"Anyways, what's wrong with my best friend?" For a second, he looks confused, but he sweatdrops and answered my question. As we casually talked, Gokudera was still in hysterics.

"Reborn gave Tsuna some training and now he's in the hospital. We got kicked out for causing a commotion." Facepalm. These guys were impossible. Speak of the devil, Rebo hops on the table and sits on my hand, as if it was a chair. Despite my efforts to get him off, he stayed there.

"Ciaosu~ Dame-Tsuna is having some trouble. Go check on him." I scowl and glare at the baby. What was he thinking, asking me like that! People get more and more mean b day. Scoffing, I turn away.

"Don't you have magical powers? Why don- " My phone rings in my pocket and I whip it out, putting the receiver to my ear.

"Hello?"

 _"Cheyenne."_ Hearing Kusakabe's voice, I grin. Kusakabe was a nice guy. We got along pretty well. Couldn't say the same for his boss, though.

"Ah! Kusakabe -san! What's up?"

 _"Are you busy right now? I need...from...you."_ There was some kind of static, so I turn on the speaker, hoping that would help.

"Er...no I'm not busy. What is it?"

 _"Well, how do I start?...Kyoya is in the hospital. He has pneumonia and usually I would go to check on him, but I can't. I have some important business I'm taking care of right now."_ Frowning, I had a feeling that I knew where this was going.

"Kusakabe- san..."

 _"Please. I know this is asking too much, but I would really appreciate it. You're the only non-committee member I trust with Kyoya."_ That Yakuza sure did know how to talk to me. My ego inflated upon hearing that I was trusted. In your face, everyone. It would be selfish to deny him his request, after all, he has helped me in a lot of situations. Slumping, I exhale.

"Fine. I'll go check on him...jerk." He chuckles on the other line and I find myself grinning, too.

 _"Thank you."_ The line goes silent as it hangs up and I frown. Reborn smirks from next to me.

"Good. Now you can go check up on Tsuna." Damn it, Reborn. Using me to do your dirty work is just shameful.

* * *

When I reach the counter, two women are there. One is a bubbly blonde that is probably the receptionist and another is a brunette with an upset look. She seemed to be complaining about something. The receptionist greets me with a smile.

"Welcome to Namimori Hospital. Can I help you find someone?" She chirps and her hands are poised above her keyboard, ready to type in a name.

"Hibari Kyoya." The brunette nurse gapes like a fish. I turn back to the blonde and she, too, looks nervous.

"Erm. He's in room 1 7." Nodding, I start walking off to find his room, not hearing their whispering from behind me.

 _"Is she crazy?"_

 _"Who would visit him?"_

 _"Stockholm Syndrome?"_

 _"Maybe it's like in the movies. He might be really nice!"_

 _"Not likely..."_

* * *

My hands were clammy and my breath was labored. Why was I so anxious?! I've dealt with the prefect multiple times in the past, plus he was sick! What could he do?! Not bothering to think of the possible repercussions, I knock on the door. No one answers and I wonder if I was really at the right room. He would have tried to throw a tonfa at me already. I gently slide the door open, rolling my eyes when I see him on the bed. I close it behind me and go to grab a chair. When I see the unconscious bodies on the ground beside the bed, I shake my head, grinning. Even when he was sick he had the energy to beat someone up. Trying to not wake him, I sit there quietly.

A soft blush forms on my cheeks. When he wasn't calling me names, abusing me, or threatening to kill me, he was peaceful. In fact, I would go as far as to say he was handsome. Too bad. He was such a gem; not so much personality wise. I yawn and slouch in the seat. My eyes wander to the vase situated on the table on the opposite side of the bed. I empty. Now that I think about it, there were no notes or gifts telling him to 'get well soon'. It was...lonely. Frowning, I stood up when I got an idea. Leaving the room, I give one last glance.

When I come back to the counter, the receptionist and nurse were still there. The nurse is awestruck and impressed simply by my presence.

"You're alive?!" I give her a deadpan expression.

"Why wouldn't I be? He was sleeping." Her eyes widen even more.

"He was sleeping?!" Waving her off, I go to ask the receptionist.

"Where can I find a place where they sell flowers?" They stare at me as if I was crazy. The blonde literally shakes away her surprise and points to her right towards an extension of the hospital.

"The gift shop usually has some." Putting a hand on her cheek, the nurse didn't seem to know how to react anymore. I go to where they directed, not hearing their comments again.

 _"I think we might need to take her to the mental ward."_

 _"I agree. That's not normal."_

* * *

In my hands were a bushel of lilacs. In Italy, lilacs signify youth and health, so even if it was odd here, they meant a lot to me. My dad bought my mother lilacs every day to put on her grave site. He probably still does, but I wouldn't know since I don't live with my parents anymore. People around me were staring at me in pity. My appearance was odd since my hair got disheveled by the wind and my eyes had bags under them from lack of sleep. Don't worry. I wasn't missing sleep from worrying about Hibari. Skull had a bad fever and it was hard taking care of a sick person. I could only imagine taking care of the cannibal.

It was finally my turn to pay for my flowers and the old woman at the counter looks at them.

"Who are these for?"

"He's a friend...sort of." Rubbing my neck, I thought of how strange it sounded to call Hibari a friend. She shook her head and put the lilacs aside. The woman went to grab so roses. Although it was rude for her to just snatch the lilacs from my hand, she was an old woman and I couldn't get mad.

"These are much better." I trusted her judgment, so I nodded, letting her scan them. When the price rang up, I nearly had a heart attack. _$22_. $22 for a fucking bouquet of roses?! Are they magic?! They better grow me a stalk big enough to reach the clouds and visit giants! This was a total rip off! Was she trying to swindle me out of my money?! Noticing my expression, she chuckled.

"I can give them to you for free. It isn't often that a young lady like you comes along here." Pure relief washes over me. Thank god because I was not about to pay $22 for some damn flowers. Holding my hand in her wrinkly one, I grin and thank her a million times over.

"Thank you so much! I'm hoping he'll like them!" Giggling, I smelled them, happy with the results. People in the store watch me in adoration. Some 'awwww' at my pure joy. I leave the store with a happy spring in my step. Who can say no to free stuff?

* * *

On the way back to the main wing, I had to pass through a parking lot connecting the two sides of the hospital. My ears perked up after hearing a bird singing. I saw the cute and squealed mentally at its fuzziness and cuteness. It was a yellow chick that was perched on a window outside. For some reason, it kept singing the Namimori anthem. I could not fathom someone liking that shitty song, let alone a baby bird!

 _" Tanamiku~ Namimori no~"_ The bird somehow made the song less awful. Being extra careful, I tip -toe up to it. The bird stops singing to tilt its head. It chirped happily when it noticed me coming closer. I was face to face with it now. I made no effort to grab it when it just glided over to my head. The fluffy thing kicked around a little bit before nuzzling into my hair, resting there. He thought I was a nest!

"Oh my gosh, how cute are you!" His breath blew a few strands of my hair and I squealed, even more, when it started snoring. Hopefully, they didn't mind animals on the premises.

There was no one at the desk, so I made my way back to Hibari's room, the roses I bought still in my hand. That was better for me since I didn't have to fight anyone to let m new bird friend in.

Hibari's door was closed. Exactly how I left it. I'd assumed he was asleep and I sauntered into the room, quickly realizing he wasn't when I received a good 'clang' on my head f trey. Luckily, the trey was empty. At least he had the decency to not throw any food at me.

"What are you doing here?" Wow. No 'hi'? No 'How are you doing?' My eye twitched.

"Kusakabe sent me to check on you." He saw the flowers in my hand and smirked while sitting up in the bed.

"Does that include bringing me roses?" Clicking my tongue, I turned away, hiding the flowers behind my back.

"Yeah...duh. Why would I bring you flowers, you cannibal?" Man, I was so lame. Lying was not one of my strengths. The bird on my head woke up and started chirping again, successfully surprising me.

 _"Hibari~ Hibari~"_ The prefect suddenly glared at me as the bird left my head to rest on his instead. Wiping my eyes with my fists, I tried deciphering what exactly was happening. It was happily perched on his head and I wondered why he wasn't trying to brutally murder it.

"Did...did it just say your name...?"

"Obviously. It's my bird." Another surprise. Hibari had a condescending look on his face. How I would have loved to smack it right off his face, but I bite the urge.

"Kyoya- " He threw another trey at my head and I dodged. He really hated when I called him that. "- You know that having something like that will ruin your reputation, right?" Pointing at the cute bird, I raised my brow at him. Hibari smirked and the bird ruffles its wings while getting comfortable on his head. There was such a huge contrast in personalities that made it absolutely comedic.

"Whoever doubts me will get bitten to death." There it was again. That biting to death thing. He always said that, but I never really got it. I sit in the chair that I left there earlier. His glare was penetrating my skull, but I ignored it and sat beside him.

"What is being bitten to death like? Do you literally bite them?"

"Care to find out?" There was a glint of childish mischief in his eyes and I quickly back down. Raising my hands, I concede to his question. Regardless of what it was, I didn't to experience it.

"Nope. I was just going to leave. I have to visit little Tsuna." Standing up, I walk to the other side of the bed and stare at the vase, Hibari watching me warily. My finger reacched out to touch it, noticing the dust. Giggling, I smile back at Hibari.

"This room could use a clean. Too bad that's not my job. You'd have to give me detention for that." Winking, I slyly play around with him. He frowns deeply and tries grabbing the tonfas under his bed, but I get to them first. Rubbing the hilt with my hand, I'm satisfied with pissing him off. The prefect gets off his bed, throwing the sheets. I can't help feeling powerful with them in my hands. It was like I ruled over everyone. This must be what it felt like to be Hibari. Playfully pointing at him, I give my most serious express

"Bow down, herbivore." I try to deepen my voice. He has a really deep voice for a teenager. Clearly he wasn't happy with that and he tried hitting me with his bare fists.

"Give my tonfas back, herbivore." He threatened me. And then they say I'm rude. Diplomacy is my greatest skill! I wasn't making fun of him, Hibari actually sounded like that Herbivore this, herbivore that.

"And if I don't? You'll bite me to death?" He looked kind of ridiculous trying to attack me in pajamas. Putting my hands up, I smile. I hand him back his tonfas. Hibari stares for a moment.

"You gave up," he stated rather obviously.

Rolling my eyes, my smile widened. "As much as I love bothering you, fighting a sick person isn't my style." I finally put the roses in the vase, giving him a wave. It was time me to make my exit.

"Take care of them. They were expensive. See you at school, cannibal." He watches me leave as I talk to myself on the way out.

 _"Seriously. $22 dollars? These Japanese are crazy with prices! I think theater food costs less than that! Damn. And for..."_ Smirking at my silly conversation, he turns to look at the flowers I gave him. This was the first time he's ever received flowers.

* * *

As I sat at home, I shoved another handful of popcorn into my mouth. It was the extra butter kind. Damn was it good. I was watching some crappy horror movies Belphegor me. He said they were so bad that he couldn't even watch them without cringing. Of course. The gore and horror aficionado.

After I finished messing with Hibari, I checked up on Tsuna. He was in a garbage dump of a hospital room. He was moved at least three times and when I got there, the familiar brunette nurse was moving him again. Not even wanting to deal with his constant trouble -making, I went home. Today was enough action to last me a while. It was so sad that he was suffering because his family was a bunch of idiots. Gokudera's yelling, Yamamoto's constant joy and the kids' antics. I don't doubt that Lambo probably caused most of the trouble. Laughing at myself, I shake my head.

I liked those idiots, though. I missed my idiots, too. The idiots are always the most fun because honestly, who wants a guy with a stick up their ass like Hibari?

Not me.

* * *

The next day at school, girls were tripping and falling over their feet to give Yamamoto and Gokudera a Valentine's chocolate. There were a few 'brave souls' that gave me some gifts, but most stayed in the shadows. I remember this one guy in particular that would shuffle around and walk towards me before going back to pacing. Hana said that they too afraid of Hibari. But what the hell does Hibari have anything to do with this? Was he really that much of a sourpuss that he didn't like people exchanging Valentines? Ridiculous.

Poor Tsuna was sulking his little heart out; he wasn't popular among the girls. I heard from Reborn, who was decked out in a chocolate costume, that there was such a thing 'White Day'. The idea behind it is that day is for the person who accepted the gifts to give something in return. It seemed like a cool idea, except for the fact that Yamamoto and Gokudera would have to buy a hundred gifts. They should pass on that. Hearing a soft sigh, I turn to see Tsuna looking at Kyoko with a sullen expression. Scooting my desk over to him, he smiles at me.

"Ah, Cheyenne-san." I give him a silly piece sign before waving him close. He hesitantly came closer to me.

"Why don't you give her some chocolates instead of waiting for her to give you some," I emphasized the words while still keeping a low whisper. Tsuna turned red.

"I-I can't!" He cleared his throat and whispered in my ear, "Valentine's Day is for the girls to show their feelings." Sitting back in his seat, Tsuna leaned back with a sad smile

"It's not like she would give me one anyways. I've never gotten a Valentine chocolate..." Frowning, I grabbed his hand, suddenly determined.

"Don't worry, Tsuna! I've got your back!" Grinning, I pump my fist in the air. He stares at me, unsure. Sauntering over to Kyoko, I sit on the floor beside her, cross- legged.

"Kyoko-kun~ What do you plan to do?" Hana glares at me from beside her. I suddenly realize my mistake. Playing it off as a joke, I wink at Kyoko. She giggles.

"Okay, Cheyenne- _kun!_ Haha! Well, I don't know. I'm no good at cooking!" She rubbed her neck. I gaped at her.

"We can make chocolates! Haru and Bianchi can come, too! I'm good at cooking!" Kyoko claps her hands together.

"Really? I would love that! After school today, yeah?" Nodding, I smile and leave the two to their conversation. Returning to Tsuna, he looks at me, impressed. He gave me a thumbs up.

"Right on, Tunafish!" We laugh together and Gokudera watches us with a smile on his face. The octopus bastard didn't want to admit it, but I was becoming 'worthy' of Tsuna's friendship. That guy was such a tsundere, I swear!

* * *

Lunch was filled with more love confessions and attention. I had to make a getaway, but today was even more difficult. There were girls crowding the hallways trying to confess to their senpais. You know, the whole 'senpai, notice me' thing. But the easy solution was eating on the roof. As soon as they saw me walk near that rusty, old door, they left me alone. They knew better than to step into the lion's den.

Going on the roof was becoming a normal thing for me. Hibari would always get angry and try beating me up, but I always win by successfully talking him down. You had to learn the power of conversation after dealing with the Varia for years. Also, I've noticed that he really likes burgers.

One morning, I didn't have time to make myself bento after Skull broke the sink. I, of course, had to fix it resulting in being pressed for time. Usually, I would just take being and accept Hibari's detention, but I had a test early that day. I passed by a fast food place and got a burger and two orders of fries. From the beginning, I didn't plan on eating the burger. Don't hate. They just aren't good to me. So I took my fries, burger and bubble tea for lunch on the roof. Hibari was poised and ready to murder me, but as soon saw the burger, he took it and left me alone. To think the cannibal was so easily swayed by a simple beef patty.

From that day on, I made it a point to get a burger for lunch give him. I always brought my bento but still let him take his burger. He probably noticed, too, but 'food was food and no herbivore was about to take that from him'. At least that's what I liked imagining him saying.

So it was no surprise when I came on the roof that he instantly stared me down expectantly. I grabbed the box and handed it to him. No smile, no thank you, nothing. Just a grunt of acknowledgment. He was like a kid waiting for his parents to get home from work. You know it was coming, you just didn't bother to care. I grabbed a ketchup pack from my bag and held my hand out.

"Want some ketchup?"

"No." I nod and open my bento to eat it. That was it. Were you expecting something ultra romantic? No. Don't forget, this is Hibari Kyoya we're talking about.

"How's Kusakabe-san?"

"Fine." Unlike everyone else, I couldn't seem to get more than one word out of this guy. He must have really hated my guts. The only reason he's tolerating me is because I buy him burgers.

"Cause we are living, in a material world, and you are a material boy~"

 _(Totally a Madonna reference. I'm not even gonna try hiding it.)_

He glared daggers at me. "Be quiet." I giggle and munch on my onigiri ball. A sudden thought crosses my mind. Has anyone ever given Hibari chocolates? Scoffing at the idea that someone would actually like him, I bite the insides of my lips, trying to not laugh. He notices. Stopping his meal, he pulls out a tonfa and presses it against my knee dangerously.

"What are you laughing at? Is something funny?" The livid expression on his face makes me tear up. Not being able to hold it anymore, I cackle obnoxiously. Standing up, he hit my head with his tonfa, but it doesn't affect me. My mind is busy elsewhere, imagining a girl getting turned down by Hibari.

* * *

 _The girl bows her head so deeply that her hair covers her face. A brave one she was, facing off with the scary cannibal. In her shaky hands was a neat and small box containing sweets._

 _"H-Hibari -senpai! Please accept my feelings!" Her voice was quavering as the prefect stared down at the box in her hand. He grabs it and she looks up, hopeful. Opening the b his look turns sour. She shakes from anxiousness. He didn't look happy!_

 _"This...this isn't a burger." Dropping it on the ground carelessly, he walks off._

 _"B-burger?" It was safe to say that she was surprised._

* * *

Pffffttttt. A very hard knock on my head wakes me from my daydream. Hibari is steadily glaring at me. My expression turns serious. I was genuinely curious. As I lie on the b he stands above me, looking very menacing.

"Kyoya-" I move my head, knowing he would try hitting me after I said his name, "Have you ever received a Valentine's chocolate? Or any gift in general? Maybe even a confession-anything!" Desperate to know, I wave my hands. Hibari blinks twice.

"No. Now be quiet and let me eat." He pushed me off the bench and resumed his half-eaten burger. Jerk. Dusting off my skirt, I sit next to him and mull over what he said. He glares at me for a second before continuing his lunch. Leaning my elbows on my knees, I prop myself on my hands. Never? Did he prefer this lifestyle? Yesterday at the hospital the vase was empty and no one bothered giving him a gift or card. Doesn't he get lonely? The words I say next couldn't be stopped as they tumbled out of mouth.

"Do you like chocolate?" The prefect pauses, genuinely contemplating if he does. He doesn't answer me. Sighing, I give up on asking him questions. It was like asking Tsuna equation. It was so difficult for him to answer! Deciding that whether or not he liked chocolate, I would give him one. Being as antisocial as he was isn't healthy. Plus, I need excuse to make some with Kyoko and Haru. Wait till they got a load of this. I wouldn't hear the end of it.

 _"I knew you and Hibari-san were a good couple!"_

 _"My Love-Love Radar would always go off around you two desu~!"_

Why was I even going to go through this? He'd throw them away and tell me to go home and leave him alone. This prefect wasn't worth my time.

"I do like chocolate." Whipping my head back to him, I was surprised by his answer. He was looking off into the sky as he lied on the ground, arms behind his head. I smile.

* * *

"Man, what a relief!" Tsuna smiled and I pat his back. As I walked home with Tsuna, Yamamoto, and Gokudera, I sighed. After lunch, at some point I went to the restroom and situated at the door was a huge bundle of roses. Like, at least a hundred. To be honest, it was a little tacky. Yamamoto laughed at me.

"I like Valentine's Day! Lots of gifts and attention!"

"Of course, you would like it, baseball nut! I'm so tired of all this crap already!" Gokudera kicked the boxes to Never-land. We seemed to be on similar wave- lengths, him and me.

"I totally agree with you there, best friend."

He huffed and nodded, pointing at the few boxes I was carrying around along with the bouquet. "You're still keeping them, though?"

Grinning, I pat one gently. "It's like their hearts, you know? If you throw it away, you're throwing them away. You should always accept a gift! They poured themselves into it would be cruel to shrug them off, Hayato." The boys stared at me seriously.

Yamamoto agreed with me, "Yeah! Gokudera, you just threw away their hearts!" Said silver haired teen harrumphed and whipped his head away, a deep frown on his lips.

"No, it's not! Che! I'm throwing away the boxes, not their damn feelings!" Bingo.

"So you're saying that you're accepting their feelings?" He sputtered for an answer to my retort, but I interrupted before he could say anything. "Maybe I should admit my feelings for you since I know you'll accept them!"

"O-OI! I didn't say that!" Tsuna and Yamamoto laughed at us.

* * *

Kyoko mixed the fondue with a grin.

"This was such a great idea, Ballotelli-san!" Haru was excited at the premise of giving Tsuna some Valentine chocolate. I put a tiny bit of Kyoko's white chocolate drizzle on my tiny truffle. They stared at me intently. Bianchi was concocting the crackers on the other side. I was a practical woman; I was not about to give the prefect a pool of sugar. Go knows the effect that would have. More energy to kill me, most likely.

"Che-che-chan, who are you going to give these to?" Haru genuinely wondered as she stares at the little chocolates in awe. Stepping back to look at mine, I smirked in approval. They were damn nice looking.

"Yeah! You're making them so pretty! They must be for someone special, right?" The girls look at each other knowingly, but without mentioning any names.

"My best friend! Yeah..."

"GOKUDERA?!" All the girls yell in unison. Bianchi nearly dropped her spoon in the poison she was making.

"You like Gokudera?! Hagie!" Haru seemed surprised.

Clapping her hands together, the orange haired girl praised me. "Wow! I never knew!" Normally I would argue and deny it, but this could be a good ploy. Speaking of Gokudera he walked in upon hearing his name.

"What's going on?!" Luck has it that Bianchi had on goggles. She urged me to tell him. Sighing, I mustered up my best lie. Damn. This was such a pain. You owe me after this, cannibal.

"Hayato ," Bianchi held her hands against her chest upon hearing me say his name, " I have something I've been meaning to tell you." Scratching my head, I look up at him cutely, but my eyes scream 'help'. He quickly catches on.

"What is it?"

"I...I like you." My head tilts down and I mentally celebrate that my lie was going well. I should be an actress! Hah! Probably not. Pressing the chocolates into his stomach, he takes them from me. Kyoko and Haru watch with bated breath. Bianchi is adoring the scene.

 _"Like a TV drama desu~"_

 _"Mhmm!"_

 _"My little brother is becoming a man..."_

Gokudera has to hold the urge to gag. He holds my hand and drags me out of the kitchen as the girls squeal from behind the door. When the coast is clear, he frowns and glares at me.

"What the fuck was that?!" Giggling, I take back the chocolates.

"Sorry, best friend, but they kept asking who I was going to give them to." Gokudera seemed distraught.

"Why me?!" Putting his hands on the side of his head, his expression was pure mortification.

"Yamamoto is an idiot and Tsuna likes Kyoko. You were the only choice I had." His mouth opened and closed a few times. Resigning, he patted my shoulder.

"You owe me for this." Groaning, I put my hand on my face and drag it down.

"I know." Sighing, I look at the clock and decide now was a good time.

"But...who are they actually for?" He was curious, but I didn't answer. I just smiled.

"If they ask where I went, make up a lie. See you later, best friend." Sending him a peace sign, I walk out of Tsuna's place, noticing the setting sun. How romantic. Too bad I giving this to Hibari and not someone I liked. _Cough._ Dino. _Cough._

Oh well!

* * *

Dammit, where was this guy? I've looked for him all over the campus and he was just magically gone! The last place I had to check was the roof and how much do you want to that he was there? The hallways were vacant and quiet. Unlike during the day when the students are rumbling in crowds, right now was so pleasant with the rays of sun leaking through the windows. The door leading to the roof was wide open as if it was welcoming me.

Just as I expected, Hibari was there sleeping with Hibird on his head. What a ridiculous name for a bird, right? He's so eccentric.

"Herbivore, why are you here? You must be looking for a detention." Those steely, cold eyes seemed to stare straight into my soul. Although he wasn't standing up to hit me, could tell that with one wrong move I would be paying the consequences. Pulling the box out from behind my back, I gently put it beside him.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Kyoya," I whisper-yell. The smile on my face was wide enough to rival a monkey. Hibari sat up, arm on his knee, to inspect it. Everything about his attitude read doubt.

"...You didn't poison this?" He said that rhetorically with a smirk playing on his lips.

"Nope! I made it with lots of love, so you better eat it!" There was still a smirk on his face when he jumped up, pulling out his tonfas. My hands shot up defensively. What the hell?! I made you food and you're going to attack me?! He was amused.

"Don't tell me what to do, woman." Oh. That's what happened. Guess it's time to skedaddle! Sprinting down the stairs and into the hallways, I ran and jumped over a few chairs strewn around the halls as I avoided his tonfa attacks.

"Leave me alone, you cannibal!" I felt the wind on his tonfa swing and glared back at him for a second. He tried hitting me again and I ducked. My maniacal laughter echoed through the halls of Namimori Middle.

This was becoming the daily thing. But you know what? I don't mind it.

* * *

 **If there are any errors, PM me and I will rectify them as soon as I can! If you have any character/episode/plot you want me to write about, tell me and I might include it! Please leave a review! I love reading them!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 : Rivals in Kokuyo**

* * *

"AISH Reborn! Why are you so hard on- AIIEEE!" Reborn got tired of his constant yelling.

"Shut up, DameTsuna." I giggled. It was a sunny, beautiful day today. The gravel of the road crackled at my feet. It's been rather boring. Ever since Valentines, Hibari has been attacking me more. It kind of confused me. Shouldn't he be NICER after giving him food and love? How frustrating.

"Hey, Cheyenne. I've been meaning to ask you," I hummed in reply. Reborn stared me down. "You should consider joining our family." Blinking, I considered his proposal.

"R-Reborn! You can't seriously-" Tsuna sputtered.

"Think about it Tsuna. She's managed to become friends with Hibari Kyoya." I pointed at myself.

"Since when Kyoya consider me his friend?" The baby smirked, knowing that I would ask something like that.

"Well, he certainly is around you a lot-"

"But he always is trying to kill me!" I waved my arms around, stressing my point. No way that guy liked me! We've never had a conversation longer than five sentences! It always ends up with him chasing me around and trying to kill me!

"Have you ever considered that his way of showing his friendship? Hibari doesn't waste time on people he doesn't find worthy. He wastes a lot of his time with you." Reborn then smirked and jumped on my head. "I'd go as far as to say h-" he suddenly stopped talking. I nearly bumped into Tsuna's back. The boy was shaking.

"Hm? Tsuna? Why did you stop?" I stood on my tip-toes to look over his shoulder and I nearly gasped. I pushed Tsuna away and held the man's hand on the floor. He was still warm and I could feel his pulse, but god...! His whole body was full of bruises and his left arm was twisted at an odd angle. Who could have done this?!

"This is bad." Reborn voiced all of our thoughts. "The Disciplinary Committee...Whoever did this has guts and is not someone to mess with." He tinkered with the clock in between his fingers. I watched carefully.

"A clock? Reborn...what does it mean?" Tsuna was worried. If someone can beat up a member of the Disciplinary Committee, they were something else.

"I don't know, but we better get to school. We should tell Hibari." The baby hit Tsuna on the head and the latter proceeded to complain. I stood still, staring at the body. My hand was sweating. Their voices were fading a bit, but I couldn't find the strength to follow them. What could be happening? Why target the Disciplinary Committee? What if this isn't the first person to get attacked?

"Cheyenne-san? Are you coming?" I looked up at Tsuna and Reborn a ways away. They were at a fork in the road. One lead to the school and the other...

"Cheyenne-san! Wait! Where are you going! School is th-" Reborn popped him on the head and Tsuna retorted, "Reborn! She's going the wrong way!" A smirk was present on Reborn's face.

"No. She's going the right way." He tipped his hat. "Now come on. We're going to Namimori."

"Huh?"

* * *

I practically sprinted to the hospital. Was Kusakabe okay? Tears gathered in my eyes. I don't know how I could handle him...no I didn't even want to think about it. Why? Why? Why would someone do this? I get that the Disciplinary Committee didn't exactly fit the title of 'nice', but...

My lungs were constricting painfully and my throat was cold. The nurses noticed my disheveled clothing and carefully formed their words.

"Who are you looking for, dear?"

"Anyone with big hair and a black suit." I answered simply. The nurse paled and nodded. She guided me down the halls and I nearly burst out crying upon seeing more members being wheeled around on gurneys.

"There are many. Is there any-"

I interrupted her, "Kusakabe?"

"No. There is no such person here." I sigh with relief.

"Can you take me where the members of the Disciplinary Committee are being held?" Nodding, she guided me around another hallway. Just as we were about to turn another corner, I bumped into someone.

"Why are you here." I recognized the deep voice and demanding tone. Hibari. It seemed that he didn't have question marks in his repertoire.

"Ah, Kyoya. I was looking for any of the injured members." The prefect furrowed his brow and glared at me.

"They're in bed rest. Leave them alone or I'll bite you to death." He readied his tonfas, but made no move to hurt me. I looked at the ground, fist clenched. Hibari was worried, too; he would have knocked me on the head for saying his first name. When I looked back up, I noticed he had a clock in his hand. Blinking, I remembered that the other member had one, too.

"Ne, Kyoya...what do those clocks mean?" He looked at it and smirked.

"I don't know and I don't care. I'm going to find the one responsible and bite the man to death." I nearly choked. Hibari' tone of voice was dripping without venom.

"Kyoya..." He swung at me and I dodged of course. I sighed.

"You shouldn't go. Do you even know who is responsible?" Worry filled me. It didn't matter how much I hated Hibari, I couldn't bare the thought of someone I knew dying.

"Stop trying to tell me what to do, herbivo-" The worst scenarios filled my head. What if Hibari the great was in over his head? What if they killed him? Tortured him?

"This is too dangerous! You shouldn't be going, let alone by yourself!" The nurse had long left the hallway and even with the amount of people rushing around with dead or dying people, I felt like it was only him and me in the hall.

"Shut up, herbivore. I know what I'm doing. Go home or go to school, I don't care." My body shook from anger and I practically yelled in his face.

"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING ALONE?! STOP BEING SO COCKY! WHAT IF YOU GOT SERIOUSLY HURT?!" I was only inches from his face and if he looked hard enough, he could see the masked worry in my eyes.

"Be quiet. You're yelling too loud," he commented smugly. It was as if my yelling did nothing, but amuse him. To him, I was just a Pomeranian yipping for nothing. "Why does it matter to you?" He smirked and took another step forward, leaving us mere centimeters apart. His breath was in my face. I faltered and looked away, taking a step back, an invisible blush on my face.

"It was your breath, it stinks. You should stop eating so many burgers..." I didn't even have the guts to look him in the eye anymore. Hibari came forward.

"Don't buy me any more, then, woman." When I looked back, I sucked in a breath. Hibari noticed and his eyes squinted at me, questioning my sudden change in attitude.

"Boss! Ten more members!" Hibari quickly stepped away. He nodded and the messenger left. Just as the prefect was about to leave, he paused to say something.

"Don't follow me, herbivore." He turned around to look at me. There was no glare or anger in his expression, which gave me more reason to believe he was serious. "I will bite you to death and not with my teeth." Hibari then ran out of the hospital with determination in his step. I clenched my fist. No matter how much I wanted to chase after him, just to make sure he wouldn't die, I was more afraid of what he would do to me than what they could do to him.

Running out of the hospital, I saw his figure in the distance. I frowned and went the opposite way.

To Namimori.

* * *

I rushed into many classrooms, the teachers scolding me along the way. Even venturing into mine, my teacher gasped and smiled.

"Mrs. Cheyenne! You're fina-" I closed the sliding door and left. Coughing awkwardly, I ran around again. Damn! If only I had remembered where Gokudera and Yamamoto's classes were! By now, I've gone in at least fifty classes. The teachers weren't really teaching anything. Judging by the students meandering in the hallways, the news about the Disciplinary Committee had gotten around fast. Frowning, I stopped running for a moment to assess the situation. Tsuna, thanks to Lambo informing me, had gone to the hospital.

My job now was to get my best friend and the baseball nut to the hospital so we could go rescue Hibari! Yeah! Damnit why was I so worried about this guy?! He's been nothing, but rude to me and yet... The door beside me suddenly opened to reveal Yamamoto and Gokudera. My eyes widened in joy and relief.

"Hayato! Takeshi! I was just looking for you!" Yamamoto grinned and Gokudera nodded.

"Hey, Cheyenne-san! What do ya need?" Fidgeting, I waved them to follow me.

"You've heard haven't you? About the Disciplinary Committee being attacked? The students are getting hurt, too." Gokudera grounded his teeth.

"Yeah. Those damn guys have been getting chewed out. I don't really care, but usually, Hibari would have taken care of it by now..." Frowning, I nod.

"Right. So I was thinking, we should go and teach those guys a lesson, for you know, hurting the students."

"Right..." My octopus-head friend dragged his words out, seeming to mock me.

"Cheyenne-san, if you're worried about Hibari-san, you don't have to hide it! There's nothing wrong with liking him!" Yamamato's tone of voice wasn't exactly a rubbing me the right way. I facepalmed. Changing the subject quickly, I began planning how we would do things.

"First, we should go find Tsuna. Then, we can get to work."

* * *

My eye twitched upon seeing Bianchi wearing a chipmunk hat. Reborn chuckled and Gokudera stayed behind me and away from his sister. I patted his head. Tsuna was gathering some stuff up in a bag, I didn't really know why. After all, I just got here.

"Reborn can you please explain what's going on? Where are we going?" I was full of questions that everyone else was probably dying to ask, too. Well maybe not. This seemed like a regular occurrence for them.

"Well, we found out that these guys are from Kokuyo based on the uniforms they used when battling Gokudera, so we're going there to do something about all this." Nodding I looked out at the sun. My eyes were burning. Tsuna tapped my shoulder and I giggled.

"Cheyenne-san...you should really stop doing that." Putting my hand on his shoulder, I gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'm sorry. It helps me think. My uncle used to do that all the time." My smile turned a little and I looked at the ground, thinking back to my Varia. I missed them dearly.

"Your uncle that likes sushi? I'd love to meet that guy! He has so many interesting stories!" Yamamoto laughed loudly and pat my back, making me feel better.

"Yeah! He was the coolest!"

"We're all here. Let's get going." Reborn suddenly reminded us. Although I was kinda sad he interrupted my memories, I was determined. These guys have disturbed the peace and for that...

We'll have to bite them to death!

* * *

I sweatdropped when I saw Bianchi melting the locks with her food.

"I could have sworn there was a glass zoo around here..." Tsuna frowned. Looking around, I noticed there was no such thing.

"Are you blind? There isn't anything like that here." Very smooth of you Bianchi. Usually I would laugh and shake it off, but it was strange. Something felt, off. Tsuna couldn't be wrong. Even if it was that long ago, he couldn't have forgotten.

"Yamamoto watch out!" I yelled out. He looked back, but kept walking and eventually, glass broke beneath him. I cursed myself; I wasn't fast enough. A weird looking guy suddenly jumped down there.

"Yamamoto!"

"Baseball nut!" Everyone was shocked, but Reborn was staring dead at me. I looked at him and he smirked. It worries me a little, knowing Reborn, but I was more worried about Yamamoto. They started fighting. The other guy was turning into different animals while all I could do was stare in shock. This guy wasn't normal. A mutant? Reborn interrupted my thoughts.

"Cheyenne," I jumped at him calling me. He jumped on my shoulder.

"We're wasting your time here. Go find Hibari and then come back and tell us where he is. I'm counting on you." I nod and sprint off. Running through the trees, I use the sneak tactics I've been taught over the years to enter the school. So far, no one has noticed me. Hearing footsteps, I pause. They round the corner into the hallway I was in. Thank goodness I'm so quick on my feet.

When I see hear his foot folly disappear into the next hallway, I quietly remove the ceiling tile and get down. The coast was clear. This school was almost more confusing than Namimori. I winded through a few more hallways until I heard grunts of pain in the next room. A sign beside the room read 'Theatre'. A Sakura blossom fell at my feet. It smelled strongly of them in that room- I gaped. No way. The Sakura Blossom Fever. How did this guy get his hands on a something that potent?!

The grunting suddenly stopped. I choked on a breath and went into the ceiling tile again. I could see a little through a tiny crack in the tile that a man with pineapple hair was taking Hibari. Glaring, I held in a snarl. Hibari was badly beat up. How foul. Using a dirty tactic to weaken Hibari. It makes sense. Hibari would have kicked this guy's ass if he didn't use the Sakura Fever to his advantage! That made me a little proud.

I nearly screamed when I felt the tile crumbling under me. Just as I went to dodge, a string from a...yo-yo caught my foot and pulled me down harshly. This was not the time to be weak. These guys were serious. Using the string around my foot as an advantage, I yanked my foot back and the guy came attached with it. I head butt him hard enough to make his forehead bleed. Serves him right, freaking beanie wearing hipster!

He frowned and tried punching me, but I dodged and swept his feet. I had no idea how I was fighting right now, but I assumed it was an adrenaline rush. I kicked him hard in the ribs, sending him back a foot or two. Just when I was going to finish it off, I realized there was someone behind me. Narrowly dodging, I back away from the trident.

"Kufufufu...Hibari certainly has good taste. No girl has ever put up this much of a fight, but I'm afraid that this has gone on too long." My arm winded up to punch him in the face and I succeeded. A sickening crack resounded in the hallway. I smirked and celebrated internally. He rubbed his face and chuckled.

Suddenly, his eye changed and I fell, paralyzed in pain. My arm...! It was twisted inwards and my fingers were touching my shoulder at an angle that was not natural. Tears gather in my eyes. "Chikusa, take them down to the prison." Chikusa?

"Yes, Mukuro-sama." I was suddenly knocked out. Mukuro? Why were those names so familiar?

* * *

When I roused awake, I was in horrible pain. I screamed and hunched over. My arm was no longer bent in a strange way, but it hurt like nothing else. I noticed it was in some makeshift sling. The material was black and cold with an orange thing surrounding it, keeping everything together. There was kanji on the band.

 _'Leader'_

"Herbivore..." I paled and didn't even look toward where the voice was coming from. "Look at me." Slowly, I raised my head. No matter how beat up or hurt or in pain he was, Hibari always had an air of victory and strength.

"Y-yes?" He noticed my stutter and smirked. Hibari leaned his head back against the cement wall and closed his eyes. There were a few moments of silence.

"Didn't I tell you not to follow me?" I sigh and frown.

"I'm sorry..." His eyes open, seeming to not believe what I said.

"What did you say?" I look him in the eye, full of guilt.

"I'm sorry, Hibari. I should have listened to you." Instead of saying something smug or mocking me like I though he would, he smirked.

"If you would have listened, I wouldn't have been able to see Rokudo Mukuro's jaw broken."

Blink.

Blink.

Blink.

Blink.

Blink.

"Aww heck yeah! Did you see that?! You could hear Pineapple's jaw breaking all across Japan!" He nodded. I grinned. This was the first time I've ever been given a compliment by the grouchy prefect. It felt so...rewarding.

"I knew you wouldn't listen regardless. You never do, you insolent herbivore." Although he growled, his expression was playful. I rubbed my neck and sweatdropped. I looked at the wall beside me. I held no expression on my face, seriously contemplating. When I was with Hibari, I acted so different. Usually when I'm with the Varia, I'm so respectful and obedient, but with him I just want to act out of turn just to rile him up. It was fun.

"Ne, Kyoya," I pause, waiting for him to hit me, but he didn't. I guess he just gave up on that. He grunted. "You're a fun guy." I sent him a big smile, teeth and all. The prefect stared at me with those steely eyes. He smacked me on the head, a bit more gentle than usual, but still hard enough to leave a bruise.

"Be quiet, herbivore. I'm saving my strength for when I get out of here so that I can kill these delinquents." I sweatdrop and nod, but I keep talking.

"Okay, but one more question," he looks at me, "What's your favorite color?" A tick mark appears on his forehead. I shuffle away from him quickly and he smirks.

"It's blue." I gape, but smile. Since when was Hibari so nice and cool?! He needs to get beat up more often!

"Now it's my turn to ask the question. Will you become a member of the Disciplinary Committee?" Shuffling around with my good hand, I sit in front of him.

"Okay, only on one condition!" He raises his eyebrow. "Can I wear one of these, too?" I ask, pointing at the orange armband.

"You can, but it will say 'Annoying Herbivore' on it." He smirked, triumphant. Twisting the little orange band on my arm, I click my tongue.

"I think that's a little too long to fit on this little thing..." He whacks me on the head again.

* * *

When I wake up again, there's a dull pain in my head. I blink and stretch a bit, noticing there was something impeding me from doing that. When I look to my left, Hibari was _very_ close to me. I squeal and push myself away.

"Why are you so close?!" He frowned deeply and I paled. Man he was _mad_.

"What do you mean? _You_ were the one that fell asleep on top of me." Scratching my head I nodded in understanding.

"Oh...You could have just pushed me away from you." I tilted my head.

"I woke you up. Your idiotic excuses of friends are here. They're bound to save you, so get up." He completely changed the subject. Deciding it would be smart to not push him, I nod and use my good arm to stand up. A chirping from Hibird caught my attention. Facepalming, I noticed it was singing the Namimori anthem.

"Hah. I only know one guy that can stand that stupid anthem." I heard Gokudera's voice and a sudden explosion. Covering my eyes, I cough and wait for the debris to subside. My eyes water when I see Gokudera, even if he was beaten up to hell.

"Hayato!" I tackle him in a hug and he opens his mouth to complain, but instead just rubs my back. It was comforting. Especially after being cooped up in that hole for hours.

"You're okay... Come on. Juudaime is waiting for us." His voice was soft. I nod and wipe away the tears that were forming before separating. Hibari was already speed walking out of there. I frown, feeling bad for just tossing him off like that.

"Che, what's his problem?" My arm was acting out again. The pain was excruciating. I held my arm and stared at the orange arm band, trying to get my mind off the pain.

"Go-ku-dera-"

"Oi! Cheyenne!" He caught me just before I fell. Everything was black.

* * *

My fingers twitched. Opening my eyes, I was surrounded by white walls. There was an annoying beeping noise beside me and I realized I was in the hospital. I sat up. There were flowers and cards beside my bed. A lot of them said get well soon with a cute little bandaged up animal on it or had a sentimental note. One of them caught my eye. It was plain white, but when I opened it, there was neat handwriting on it.

 _'You start Monday. Heal quickly.'_

I grinned when I saw Hibari's name at the bottom. Although it wasn't very sentimental, it was the fact that he took the time to even make it and give it to me that counted. I smiled. Feeling a light pain, I look down at my arm, remembering what happened.

My arm was now in a proper sling, but there was an orange band around my cast. I tilt my head confusion; in letters that were different from before...

 _'Annoying Herbivore'_

My eye twitched.

 **"H-I-B-A-R-I!"**

* * *

 **If there are any errors, PM me and I will rectify them as soon as I can! If you have any character/episode/plot you want me to write about, tell me and I might include it! Please leave a review! I love reading them!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 : Fireworks in My Eyes**

* * *

"Are you excited about the new classes, Cheyenne?" Skull was perched on my shoulder as I calmly ate my breakfast.

"I don't know. I'm a little nervous. What if I have no classes with Hayato? Or Tunafish? Who will I talk to?" I frown and blow a piece of hair away from my face.

"You can always talk to the Disciplinary Committee!" He tries to comfort me.

"Right. Because Kyoya is just such a peach to be around!"

"I'm only trying to help!" He gets off my head. Skull grabs my cheeks. "You can always make new friends!" I sigh and place my spoon down before looking out the kitchen window. My appetite was at an all time low. I couldn't help it. It was natural for me to be anxious. Over the course of the year, I've gotten used to the Vongola crew. They were like my home away from home and I didn't plan on getting close with any more people.

These guys were all I needed.

"Hey! Snap out of it! You gotta be early!" I turn back to Skull. Blinking, I furrow my brows.

"Early? What for?"

He facepalms and says, "You have to greet the new students at the gate! You're a Disciplinary Committee member now."

"Oh. I forgot all about that," I admit, laughing.

"That carnivore guy will get mad! Get going! Come on!" He jumped off the table and started pushing my legs. I stand up and he continues pushing me.

"I'm not in a rush! It's not like Kyoya expects me to be there. I was gonna walk with Hayato today."

"Gah! You have to be responsible! Come on, Cheyenne!" He pulled on my socks, too. Skull ran around, panicking. The purple Arcobaleno suddenly ran upstairs. Scratching my head, I wondered what he was doing. An orange armband fell from off the side of the stairs. I caught it. He came back down and pointed at it.

"You have to put that on!" How come he was suddenly acting like a mom?

"Are you okay, Skully?" He blushed.

"W-well yeah."

"Then calm down. I've been late plenty of times before."

"But today is your first official day as a member of the Disciplinary Committee!" He waves his arms around. It was very cute, I noticed.

"Aww Skully! Look at you!" I squeal and pick him up, bringing him close to my face. He blushed and stuttered. I smiled and kissed his pudgy cheek.

"H-h-hey!"

"Don't worry about me so much. I can take care of myself."

"B-but that tonfa guy-"

"Oh hush. Lussuria scares me more than him." I wave him off. He pales.

"That's because Lussuria is scary..." Giggling, I place him back on the ground before kneeling. Patting his little head, I smile and play with his hair. The purple Arcobaleno relaxes.

"I'm happy you care so much. I'll be fine. Kyoya would never fight me seriously anyway." I laugh. "He's a lot more patient than he lets on."

"How do you know?" Skull was curious. "You always complain about him and talk about him being a huge asshole." Rubbing my neck, I look away.

Did I really talk about him in such a bad light? He wasn't so bad...most of the time. The guy just had a stick shoved so far up his ass that he could see it. Well, he lets me sit on the roof with him! Actually, he only did that because I gave him food. There was that one time he accepted the chocolates I gave him! He proceeded to chase me, though... No wait! He pat me on the back! Now that I think about it, I remember that I was choking on a grape he threw at me while I was talking...he called me annoying that day, too.

"Okay I've got nothing." I deadpan and slump over. That guy had no redeeming qualities.

"See!"

"Skull, we're getting off topic!" Whipping around, I gasped and stood up when I saw the time. I quickly tossed the plate in the sink and put on my shoes.

"Where are you going in a rush?! I thought you didn't care about the Committee?!" Skull watched as I ran around collecting my belongings.

"I don't!"

"Then why?!"

"Hayato's waiting for me!" I nearly smack into the door as I pull it open.

"Wait!" I stop and look at Skull. He handed me the orange armband. I smile at him.

"Thanks, Skully. You're a good sidekick." He blushed, but urged me out of the door.

"I'm glad you think so. But seriously-"

"I'm going!" Laughing, I bend down and give him one last kiss on the head before slamming the door closed. I fumbled to get the armband on my arm and ended up pricking myself. I wince and ignore it. Why were safety pins called safety pins if they could hurt you?! I sling my bag over my shoulder and run over to where Hayato was meeting up with me.

On my way there, I passed by Reborn and Tsuna.

"Hi, Tuna!"

"Cheyenne-san!" He grinned. Although I was in a rush, I couldn't just run past him like that. I stopped and caught my breath.

"Cryenne, how's the arm?" I stood up straight again and gently squeezed my previously injured arm.

"It's fine now. I've had worse in the V-" I quickly stopped myself. Reborn raised an eyebrow while Tsuna watched me, confused.

"Cheyenne-san, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. So how do you feel about the new classes?" I quickly changed the subject.

"I'm nervous. I really hope I get a class with Kyoko-chan!" His eyes sparkled with joy. I smile. He was so in love with that girl. She was lucky to have someone as devoted as Tsuna after her.

"Yeah. I'm nervous, too. I hope I get classes with you guys." Tsuna nodded and looked down at the ground. He noticed my armband. He laughed anxiously.

"I see that you're wearing that proudly..." I tug at the ugly, orange band.

"Not really. Skull forced me to put it on."

"Who?" Freezing, I realized what I said. Reborn was smirking again.

"A friend."

"Ah. He must take care of you."

"Haha! A little too much! I didn't even want to put this on." Phew. Dodged that bullet. That much was true, though. Honestly, I wouldn't put it on just to spite Hibari.

"Trying to make Hibari mad?" The baby finally spoke.

"That's all I enjoy doing nowadays." Reborn chuckles and I grin with him. Tsuna didn't seem to agree with us.

"H-Hibari is scary when he's mad..." He said genuinely.

"Don't worry! Now that I'm higher on the food chain, I'll definitely get Hibari off your back!" I rub his back reassuringly.

"Um...thank you, Cheyenne-san."

"Using your position of power to topple the skylark, I see."

"I'll do more than just topple him!" Laughing in an evil manner, I wave. "I've gotta go. Hayato is waiting for me."

"I'll see you later, Cheyenne-san!" Running off again, I sigh. It was too early to be doing this much exercise. I ran about five blocks before catching sight of my favorite octopus.

Gokudera was stomping his feet impatiently. He caught sight of me and made an upset face.

"Seriously?! It took you this long?!" I hold my finger up, signaling him to wait. The boy held his head in his hand. "You're so frustrating."

"Hey! Take pity on me!" I whine. "I had to stop because Tsuna saw me an-"

"Judaime?!" His eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas. Allow me to put a dog tail and some ears on him. He was a puppy when it came to his precious Judaime.

"Yeah. I talked with him."

"Let's hurry to school, then!" I blink. Wouldn't he want to go find Tsuna so he could walk to school with him? Gokudera seemed to hear my thoughts. "We have to go see if we're in the same class so that I can tell him the good news!" He sparkled. I giggle. The guy was already assuming he would be in the same class as Tsuna.

Even if he wasn't in the same class as Tsuna, he would find a way to be in the same class. That doesn't exclude more...violent means.

"Fine. It would do me well to run a bit anyway. This break spoiled me." I pat my belly. He rolled his eyes at me.

"Women." Then, he ran off. Watching him leave, I huffed.

"I change my mind. Let me be lazy a little longer."

* * *

When I finally reached school, Tsuna and the rest of the gang were already there.

"...whether I accept it or not, don't blow anything up!" I could hear Tsuna protest. Gokudera probably ended up in a different class. Bummer. Hopefully I would be with Tsuna or Hayato. Before I could fully reach them, a certain brunette appeared. My mood significantly lifted. I didn't really get why...

"H-Hibari-san!"

"You're being fairly boisterous." He smirked. Thankfully, he didn't notice me yet. Everyone aside from the group of five left. Hibari really had an effect on the student body. No wonder he was the head of the Disciplinary Committee; he exudes power.

"Didn't you already graduate?" Wait...I counted on my fingers. Yeah! He's right! He's 16 so he should be in high school now!

"I can choose to be in any year I wish." I sigh and rub my face. Wasn't he just a pretentious little ball of cockiness? Tsuna blinked. I was pretty confused, too, but it made sense. Hibari was always going on about Namimori middle.

"Eh?! What the hell are you talking about, bastard?!" Poor Gokudera. He just wanted to be in a class with his Judaime and now he had to deal with Hibari.

"No one can restrain me with logic." I squat down with my head between my hands. His level of self-absorption was beyond my comprehension.

"That makes no sense," I whisper to myself.

"So allow me to begin acting as a member of the Disciplinary Committee." I gulp and stand up. It starting to get serious. Maybe I should stop this now before anyone gets seriously hurt. I was just about to intervene when Hibari's gaze shifted. "Who planted the Sakura here?" I grimace.

"They've always been here." Walking up to them, Kyoko noticed me first and smiled. The pitiful frown on my face was still present and I couldn't find it in me to smile back; I was too worried about Hibari.

"Not now. I can't fight here." I follow Hibari wordlessly as he walks away.

"Cheyenne-kun?" I hear Kyoko's voice. Turning back, I give her a wave. Hibari's jacket rustled a bit as he placed his tonfas back. We walked in silence as the breeze messed with my hair. He didn't say anything even though I knew he was aware of me.

Hibari was still traumatized by the Sakura. I didn't blame him, although I wished he would try to hit me or something. Seeing him upset made me uncomfortable.

"You're late for duty, woman."

"Yeah. I was-well actually I don't have any excuse." He smirked. "So how was your morning?" I smiled. Hibari turned to me.

"The same."

"What does 'the same' mean?"

"I had to deal with annoying herbivores. Much like you." He closes his eyes, probably feeling smug. Jerk.

"Hey! Didn't I tell you that I'm an omnivore?" His hand met the back of my head. "Ouch! That really hurt." I was secretly happy. Hibari was acting normal now. Somehow, I wished that it was me that caused that change.

"Your reflexes have gotten slow."

"It's not that they're slow, it's just that you smacked me not even five minutes into our conversation!"

"Hn."

"Hn?! What do you mean 'hn'?! Apologize! Hitting me was uncalled for!" He tried smacking me again, but I dodged. "And you tried hitting me again, you dirty cannibal!"

"You're giving me a headache with your irritating voice, herbivore." His smirk turned into a thin line.

"My voice isn't annoying! And for the last time, I'm not a herbivore!" Hibari looked on my person as if he just remembered something. Smirking when he saw the armband, he pulled on it.

"This clearly states that you are both annoying and a herbivore." I pout and exhale angrily. That stupid armband-!

"This is so-ugh! No one will take me seriously with this 'thing' on!" I pull on the armband for emphasis.

"You have to wear it. Everyone has to know exactly what you are." Seriously. I felt like the smirk was going to pop off of his face and fly away.

"You are such a smug douchebag..." I cross my arms.

"What was that? Care to repeat it?" He held my shoulder tightly. It hurt. I stared at the hand holding my shoulder and then the arm.

 _'Leader'_

"Do all of them say the same thing?" I ask genuinely. He lets go of my shoulder when he realizes that he wasn't going to get a reaction from me.

"No. You and I are the only ones with an armband."

"You got this special for me?" I grinned.

"I-" I didn't even let him finish.

"I knew that you liked me! Deep down in that cold, frigid, freezing, black heart of yours!" I jabbed my finger into his chest with each word. He hit my hand, really hard at that, with his tonfa. I wince and retract it.

"I will prick you with your own safety pin."

"But you're already a prick!" I felt like I was gaining the upper hand.

"Don't test me, woman."

"Okay. That's the testing proctors job, after all." Raising my eyebrows, I laugh.

"You're especially irritating today." He stopped walking to stare me down. "I'll bite you to death."

"Especially irritating or especially funny?" I smile. "I'd say my jokes are on 'point'." I snicker. He whacks the back of my head.

"Ouch!"

"Enough."

"Party pooper..." I whine. He just smirks. That's something I've learned during the time I've known Hibari.

 _He always wins._

* * *

I looked at the clock. 1 hour until it was summer break. The semester exams were easy this year, but I had Gokudera to thank for that. It was stressful at first, but Gokudera was such a great teacher that he made learning easy and fun. He explained it in Italian, too so that probably influenced my understanding of the subjects. Italian was my first language so it was only natural that everything suddenly made way more sense.

Did I forget to mention that we were all in the same class by some miraculous luck? Reborn probably had something to with it, I think. That baby was always up to something. As for Kyoko and Tsuna, he was still as shy as ever. Well, I can't say he didn't try because he managed to take her out on a date, but Kyoko obviously didn't see it as that.

But come on. I was a great wing-man/woman! I was dropping all the hints and good stuff. It ended well, but Kyoko could try to be a little bit less oblivious, for her sake and Tsuna's. Yamamoto was just a nice and fun as always. I did notice that he smelled distinctly of sushi and plain soap. It reminded me of Squalo.

Speaking of the Varia, I missed them terribly. The heat of the summer only reminded me of that. It reminded me of that day we all went outside to fix the limousine. Squalo yelling, Lussuria trying to get a tan, Mammon watching us waste time, and maybe money, Levi being Levi and Xanxus barking orders.

I missed Belphegor the most. It took all my willpower to not start crying on the spot. I remember the sweet hug we shared on the day I left.

"Cheyenne?" Gokudera whispered from my right. He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?" He was actually worried. I shook my head and touched my cheek. It was wet there.

"I just want to go home..." My eyes were downcast.

"You could always leave early-"

"I mean _home_." I interrupt. He frowned with sympathy.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Gokudera kept trying to help but it only served to irritate me more.

"No." I put my head down and wiped my cheek of any tears.

"Ms. Balotelli," the teacher says. "Could you please pay attention." He said it as if it were a statement.

"Yes." I responded, but kept my head down.

"You're being defiant and disrespectful. You should listen to me-" I lift my head up and glare at him. Today was not the day to irritate me.

"There's very few people in this world who have my respect and you're not one of them!" My voice raised toward the end as I stood up, palms firmly on the desk. My friends were surprised by my reaction, having never seen me act like this. I was surprised, too. This time away from the Varia was affecting me more than I cared to admit.

"Cheyenne! Calm down! You're not getting sent to the principal over something as sill-" Yamamoto tried to reason with me, but Gokudera shook his head.

"Let her work it out." The teacher finally got over the shock and pointed at the door.

"Go outside! I'll have a stern talk with you after the lesson." I push past the desks, bumping into a few along the way. Closing the door behind me with a huff, I stand outside before sliding down the wall. Tucking my knees to my chest, I rest my head on my legs and hug them.

I shouldn't be this upset, but I was. It wasn't that I disliked Namimori, but I wanted to see my famiglia again. Hearing heavy footsteps, I lifted my head up. Hibari. He smirked when he saw me leaning on the wall. Looking down on me liking a predator would with its prey, he teased me.

"What did you do now?"

"Save it, Hibari." He frowned. I usually took the bait, but I was too upset to care. The teacher came outside and paled when he saw Hibari.

"H-Hibari."

"I'm taking her with me." Hibari grabbed my arm and dragged me to my feet in a less-than-gentle way. We walked all the way up to the roof. He let me go and I went to go sit on the ground. I looked at my hands, clenching and unclenching my fist.

"What do you want? Don't you have a committee to take care of?" I ask, wanting to be alone.

"I do, but I have a stupid woman to take care of now." You didn't have to try to hear the annoyance in his voice.

"Why?"

"Because you're crying." I blink and touch my cheek. No. There was nothing there. Hibari rolls his eyes. "I don't have to see it to know, woman."

"Why are you paying so much attention to me? Just leave me alone to wallow in my misery." He suddenly smacked the back of my head. This time, I was really seeing stars. Damn! That was the most painful one!

"What the fuck, Kyoya?!" I glare at him while I held the my head.

"There."

"What?!"

"You were being depressing so I made you whiney instead." I blinked multiple times and watched him in curiosity.

"I thought you hated me being whiney?"

"I do."

"Then-"

"But that's less annoying than you being depressed." He lies down on the ground beside me while I stared at him the whole time.

Suddenly, a grin splits on my face.

"Awww~ You do care about me~" He smacked the back of my head again. "Ow! Okay, sorry."

"Shut up now. I need to sleep."

"Okay~"

* * *

I licked my banana lollipop. It was French chocolate. Somehow, Gokudera convinced me to get this flavor. Poor them, though. The Disciplinary Committee was expecting 500 bananas by the end and I knew that number was impossible to reach. Well, unless each and every one of Yamamoto and Gokudera's fangirls were here. Doubtful.

Boredom. That was what I could use to describe how I was feeling right now. Uncomfortable, too. I didn't understand these Japanese festivals and their traditional clothing was difficult to move in. Kusekabe told me to wear it to boost the morale of the Disciplinary Committee since I was the only female member. Too bad I still had to do my job while wearing it.

Hibari never let me take breaks. A lot of my summer has consisted of coming and going to school. He had to take care of a lot of the expenses and schedules along with more sketchy activity. Sketchy activity including what I was doing right now: taking money from stalls and occasionally stealing from people. All in a day's work, I suppose.

The only thing I had to look forward to were the fireworks and that wouldn't be for a while. It wasn't sunset yet.

"Woman." I flinched upon hearing Hibari's voice. I turn around.

"What is it, Kyoya?" He smacked the back of my head, as if on cue, and then started walking. I frowned, but followed.

"Have you collected where I told you?"

"Yeah. Is that all you want me to do?" I ask, ready to be done for the day.

"Meet me by the temple entrance when the fireworks start."

"Why?"

"Don't ask so many questions and just do it." He sounded...frustrated? It wasn't his normal kind of frustrated, though. I shook my head. I didn't have time to analyze his damn voice.

"Fine." I sigh and drop it. He walks off. So what can I do for the last few hours?

* * *

I decide to spend the rest of the evening with Kyoko and Haru. Truthfully, the only reason I wasn't with Gokudera or everyone else was because I was a terrible salesman. People scared me and trying to sell products to them is even more terrifying. It was a big enough miracle that I became friends with Tsuna and his gang.

"Cheyenne!" A hand waves in front of my face, effectively snapping me out of my trance.

"What?" Kyoko giggles at my lost-looking expression.

"We were asking you something important!" Haru interjected.

"What's that?"

"Have you asked Gokudera out yet?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Remember? You confessed on Valentine's Day!" They reminded me. Oh yeah. I forgot all about my lie.

"He rejected me."

"Oh no desu~" Haru was so sad. Her hands were clasped in front of her chest.

"Was it bad?"

"It's okay. I'm not that sad about it." Haru smirked.

"We know." I blinked, surprised at her suddenly evil face.

"Yeah. It's no use hiding your true crush." Kyoko nodded furiously.

"You guys have had a little too much green tea, I think." I shake my head at their strange behavior.

"Don't change the subject!" I put my hands up. They were persistent with whatever they were doing.

"Okay. So who is my true crush?" I was curious. Who was my true crush because I sure didn't know. Perhaps they would enlighten me.

"Hibari!"

"Kyoya!"

"Of course!" They said in unison. I watched them. These girls were actually serious...

I burst out laughing.

"You guys are funny. We hate each other's guts!" They look between each other.

"But you guys are so cute desu!"

"And he's always with you!"

"He's around me to torture me," I say very honestly. "Hibari is a real slave driver." Nodding at what I said, I close my eyes.

"Wow! I never knew!" Haru was amazed.

"That's a pity. I truly liked you two as a couple." I shake my head.

"He can barely stand me as it is. If we were a couple, he would have to see me twice as often. That wouldn't end well for anyone."

"I see..." Kyoko smiled.

"Don't worry! There's someone out there for you!"

"Hah. I hope so." I laugh. Was there someone? The person I got along with best was Squalo and I could never fall in love with my uncle-figure. Looking up at the sky, I suddenly realized it was getting dark.

"The fireworks should be starting soon. Wanna watch them with us?" Kyoko invited me.

"Actually, someone is expecting me." They smile.

"I'll see you later, then."

"Bye bye, Cheyenne-chan!" They wave as I walk to the temple entrance.

* * *

It was night by the time I reached it. Hibari was already there. He noticed me.

"You're late, woman."

"No, I'm not. You're just early."

"Late."

"Early."

"This is childish. Sit down before the fireworks start." I watch him warily. He sits down and I place myself next to him. For some reason, I felt really out of place. Hibari was wearing his uniform while I sat in this itchy yukata.

"Do you ever take your uniform off?" He turned to me and glared. I took that as my cue to shut up and look at the sky. "...What did you need me here for?"

"Just sit and keep quiet, woman." I could tell he was trying his hardest not to smack me.

"Kyoya-"

"Stop call-"

"Oh, look!" I pointed at the sky with excitement. It was beautiful. My eyes sparkled. A green one exploded. Then a red. A blue. Another green. There was a yellow one. Grinning, I comment, "The blue one is my favorite!" Hibari looks at me with something similar to disgust. It was so pretty. I've never seen fireworks before. The Varia never got out much since we were an assassin organization.

Voicing my thoughts, I said, "I've never seen fireworks before..." I was in awe. Hibari lied down and stared at the sky. "Good idea!" I copied him and lied down next to him.

They exploded so brightly and beautifully. I've seen Gokudera blow up stuff hundreds of times, but this was different. It was art. Like a mini painting on the sky. Every explosion was a new art piece. I giggled at my own musings.

"What are you laughing for?"

"They look like little paintings!"

"That was the most pathetic thing I've heard today."

"Nuh-uh! Everything I say is true!"

"Not even close."

"Oh shush, Kyoya! Don't be so-oh another flower!" I was quickly distracted by another firework.

I was so happy. This would be the most memorable moment of my summer for sure. It was relaxing even if Hibari Kyoya, the ultimate grump, was next to me. In fact, his presence was nice. I didn't feel the need to fill the air with words. The fireworks were pretty and I enjoyed them in silence. Sometimes getting away from the chaos was good, too. Lights danced in my eyes. I hoped that this night would never end.

Unbeknownst to me, Hibari was a bit more distracted watching the fireworks in my eyes than the ones in the sky.

* * *

 **If there are any errors, PM me and I will rectify them as soon as I can! If you have any character/episode/plot you want me to write about, tell me and I might include it! Please leave a review! I love reading them!**


	11. Omake

**With Clouds Come Storms : Omake**

* * *

"How is the Varia doing without Cheyenne, you ask?"

" VOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! BRATTY PRINCE BRING ME BACK MY CONDITIONER!"

" I don't think so~" Belphegor ran into the living room where Lussuria was painting his toenails. His Mohawk rustled with the wind as Bel sped past.

"Mah! Calm down! Can't a girl paint her nails in peace?" Squalo's sword arm slashed at the air feverishly, hoping to land a hit on the quick-footed prince. But of course, Belphegor was one step ahead. He swung himself on a flagpole and the recoil smacked Squalo in the face. The long-haired member held his, now bleeding, forehead.

"FUCK!" The prince ran backwards and began taunting Squalo.

"Ushi shi shi~ What's wrong, Shark Captain? Gave up? Don't make it so easy for me!"

"DON'T GET COCKY!" Getting up again, they gave chase into the meeting room. As they entered, the doors slammed behind them. They abruptly stopped, Belphegor frowned. Xanxus was in his chair along with the rest of the Varia. He motioned to the seats. Grumbling, both promptly sat down.

"The scum guardians have the rings we need. We're going to get them."

"How are we going to do that?" Lussuria chimed as he crossed his legs.

 _(Wasn't he painting his toenails not five seconds ago?)_

"By beating the shit out of them."

"Sounds like a damn good plan!" Bel's frown was still on his face. He flipped the knife in his hands before jabbing it into the table.

"Oh, Bel! I know you miss Cheyenne! We miss her, too!" Grabbing the knife in an instant, he chucked it at Lussuria's head, who barely dodged it.

"Kyaa!"

"No I don't. Who cares about that stupid peasant." The sun guardian raised his brows knowingly. He didn't say anything, though.

"Dumb kid. She better be okay." Squalo shook his head.

"I have to find her or otherwise I'll have to hire a new member. That costs too much money."

"Shut up, scum. That stupid Arcobaleno baby probably has her. We'll beat the shit out of him afterwards."

"Yay! My baby Cheyenne will soon be with us~ I'm so excited I could burst!"

 _Rumble rumble._

Belphegor looked down at his hungry stomach with dread.

"Ohhh! Everyone, let's have some quality family time and ma-"

 **"NO!"**

 _Terrible._


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 : Cloud Guardian?!**

* * *

I was rushing around like I had lost my head. As is tradition, Hibari pushed me around and ordered me to deliver some stuff to people in town. For all I knew, there could be animal hearts or explosives in the packages. He wouldn't let me open or touch them so I wouldn't know. Today was Saturday, a day that was _supposed_ to be a holiday. Hibari didn't think so. It was too often that I would receive phone calls from him. Most of them were like this:

"Hello? Cheyenne here."

 _"Come to school. There's work for you to do."_

"What? No way! It's the-"

 _"I don't care just get here or I will have to get you myself."_

"Fine!"

Every. Single. Time. Sometimes he would call me to school for some stupid menial task. It wasn't cute at all, unlike when the Varia asked me for favors. Hibari just annoyed me for no reason. Just for the sake of seeing me suffer.

I knocked on the door of the house and waited for the owner to open the door. It was a suspicious-looking guy with sunken eyes and a patchy beard.

"Package for Mr. Harakure?" He nodded and took the package from my hand. Reaching in his pockets, he took a fat wad of money and handed it to me. Then, he slammed the door in my face. After two or three times of getting that treatment, I would just shrug it off. I've learned that Hibari and the Disciplinary Committee have some strange customers. That guy was up to some underground stuff, I tell you! It was almost dirtier than what the Varia did.

I guess that's why I took this business as just another job. I've seen my famiglia do worse. Looking at the label on the next package, I smiled when I saw the name. _"Reborn Strong Baby"._ He certainly had a very silly way of labeling things. _"Pathetic bald man", "Weak woman with mullet", "Big hair and auto-sufficient attitude"_ were only a few I remember off the top of my head.

Shaking off my thoughts, I wheeled the cart toward Tsuna's house. People walked by and waved at me. I smiled and returned the wave. If there was something I didn't miss about being with the Varia, it was the lack of contact with the outside world. I never left the house and now here I felt so free even with all the work Hibari had me doing.

Finally, I arrived at Tsuna's house. It was surprisingly close to that shady guy's house. Although, I couldn't talk since I was pretty shady myself. Lambo suddenly ran passed me with a bazooka in his hand. Completely ignoring him, I walked into Tsuna's house, whose door was unlocked. I knocked on it just out of politeness. Nana's head peaked from around the corner. She brightened and waved me inside.

"Cheyenne-san! Come in and sit down! Tsuna isn't here, but make yourself at home please!" There was a familiar man sitting at the table. I stared at him. Where did I know him...?

"Are you gonna keep staring at me or are ya gonna sit down?" He grinned and laughed. Blushing furiously, I bow.

"I-I'm sorry, sir! I didn't mean-"

"Oh, no none of that formal stuff! Come. Sit." He patted the top of the table next to him. I hesitantly sat down and my mouth fell open when I saw all the food on the table.

"Nana-san! You made all of this?!"

"Amazing what my wife can do, eh?!" The man spoke loudly. He was so...jovial. Wait!

"Wife?! Tsuna is your son?!" All this time I forgot that Tsuna had a father.

"Of course! Who do you think gave him his great genes?" He was smug. I grin.

"How silly of me! Of course, sir!"

"I'm messing around. Don't take me too seriously." Nodding, I looked back to Nana. She was humming and blushing. It was confusing. Why was she so happy?

"Nana-san, you seem really excited today." Crossing my arms on the table, I waited for her answer. All this food and her front door being wide-open then her blushing face.

"I'm happy because my honey is here~"

"Ahah! I really have an effect on you, don't I, dear?" The older man stood up and gave Nana a kiss on the forehead. I blush, feeling some second-hand embarrassment. It was cute, but I couldn't look. I felt like I was invading their privacy.

"What's that grim face for?" The man slapped a hand on my back and I jumped. It surprised me.

"It's just that you guys are so..." I got hot again. It was so mortifying! Covering my face with my hands, I take a deep breath. Nana smiles and giggles.

"Oh, Cheyenne-san! Love is just like that! It makes you tingly and happy! Like a little caterpillar~"

"Ewwww. I hate caterpillars." My hands gathered up some of my shirt fabric; just thinking about the wiggly insect made me shiver. They laugh at me and talk to each other. I took a breath and stood up. I grabbed the package again and took it upstairs to Tsuna's room. It was clean and warm. Sitting on the bed, I read the label again. _"Reborn Strong Baby"_. What was that baby up to? What was everyone up to?

Probably having fun while I sat here embarrassed and tired from working.

* * *

I leaned over the sushi and stared intently as I carefully cut the blow fish. Tsuyoshi was watching me just as intently. My blade slowly sliced the poison gland off. It flopped off of the fish and onto the floor. Picking it up, I lightly squeezed it. The most dangerous part of the fish...or that's what Tsuyoshi told me. I turned to him to see his reaction. He was grinning like a proud mother.

"I knew you could do it! Even if it took you weeks of practice..." He sweatdropped. I wipe my forehead of the sweat. It was really stressful. Putting it into context, if I were to cut the fish and leave even a little bit of the deadly toxic, I could kill the person eating it.

"Hey, Yoshi-oji, why do people eat the blow fish even though it doesn't taste like anything special?"

"It's what old samurais used to do. It signifies courage and bravery. You just ate something that could have killed! It's like spitting in death's face!" He pumped his fist. I nod.

"That _is_ super cool! Yoshi-oji, can you teach me how to cut the Fugu next?!" I sparkled and practically begged. He laughed and pat my head.

"I don't think so, squirt. That one is a little too hard for a beginner. Some day, okay? Keep practicing and maybe some day you'll surpass me." He said sarcastically. Rolling my eyes, I stab the wood of the table with my knife.

"Yeah yeah. You'll see. Me and Yamamoto will take over this place some day!" He chuckles.

"That boy is too busy with baseball to worry about his old man's sushi place." His expression suddenly turned grim. "You know he asked me to teach him the art of Kendo?" I smile sadly. He had no idea what Yamamoto did every day. Those guys were training a lot recently. It was better to be overworked than poorly prepared.

"I'm sure he has a good reason, Oji-san." I hold his shoulder.

"He was always a good son, I know th-"

 _"We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to bring you urgent news!"_ The TV caught my attention. I saw the show on animals quickly flit to an image of Tsuna in underwear.

"Isn't that...?" Tsuyoshi was probably feeling all kinds of emotions right now. His son's friend was half naked on live television. That would worry just about anybody.

 _"A man with long, white hair is terrorizing the arcade center! A group of-"_ My blood ran cold. White hair? Maybe I was getting my hopes up-

 _"VOIIIIIIII! PUT THAT DAMN CAMERA DOWN, WOMAN!"_ I thought my heart was going to leap out of my chest and get a mind of its own at that moment.

 _It was Squalo. My Squalo._ Tears of joy form and blur my vision. Finally returning to reality, I fumble to take the uniform off and wipe my gathering tears in the process. Tsuyoshi watched me with a troubled look.

"Cheyenne?! Wait! Where are you going?! Your shift isn't over!" He yells at me as I run to the front of the store.

"Take it off my paycheck!" I sprint out of the sushi shop toward the commotion. I would see Squalo after nearly two years of being away. It wasn't all of the Varia, but it was enough for now. How badly I wanted to see them. My legs carried me faster than I've ever run before. I was functioning on pure adrenaline. They were numb, but I didn't have the time to think about how badly I wanted to stop running. My need to see my precious uncle was more important than my need to rest.

The arcade was finally within my vision. My throat was hoarse from the cold air, but I kept pushing forward. I saw Dino and a group of his men by the tall building. Tsuna, Gokudera, Yamamoto and a boy I didn't know were there, too. I didn't care about them. I searched for Squalo and finally saw him on the roof of the building with a box in his hand. My heart was almost bursting out of my chest and I was sweating. I wanted to hug him and cry all over that stupid coat of his.

I was about to call out to him when he suddenly jumped and disappeared. All I could do was blink and stare. My legs felt like jelly. Was... Was that all?! Dino noticed me and caught me before I fell on the ground.

"Cheyenne?! It's too dangerous for you here!" He picked me up bridal style and cradled me in his arms. "Are you okay? You're shaking like a leaf!" I kept looking at the spot where Squalo stood. He didn't even look for me-! "H-hey! Don't cry! It's okay! That guy won't come bac-"

"UWAH!" Tears flowed down my face like the Niagara falls. What the hell was that?! I'm so stupid! "I-idiot! Why didn't I call out or s-something!" I coughed and hiccuped. My tiny fists beat on Dino's chest in a futile attempt to make him let me go.

"Cheyenne! Please be calm!"

"Dino. Put her down." Reborn said. Dino watched me anxiously, but carefully placed me on the concrete. I held my head in my hands and bawled my eyes out.

"Why didn't you l-look for me?! BASTARD! I was right h-here!" My throat was raw from yelling.

"Cheyenne-"

"Quiet!" Dino was shocked. I was always so kind to him.

"Hey. Crybaby." Reborn jumped on my head. I tried to knock him off, but he stayed on.

"WHAT?! You wanna rub it in?! 'Cheyenne the weakling that couldn't even find her family to save her life!'"

"We need to talk."

* * *

Romario managed to calm me down. I think I overreacted a bit. Okay! A lot. It wasn't my fault. That reaction was natural for anyone. Squalo was my only semblance of a father figure. I didn't see my real father very often since I was a member of the Varia. He was becoming senile with age and seeing him didn't make me feel any better. I spent the last eight years with the Varia and they were more of a family than my real one. I'm still mad at myself for missing the opportunity to see him again, but Reborn secretly reassured me that it wouldn't be that last time. That was bad news for Tsuna and his gang, but I knew the Varia's every secret. They weren't as cruel as they make themselves out to be.

"...officially known as the Vongola Half Rings." I came back to the conversation. "They certainly are priceless, but that's not all. They're said to be the cause of untold amounts of bloodshed over the course the Vongola's long history," Reborn told us.

"What?! Are you serious?!"

"That's certainly eerie," I say. This was the first time I heard about these so-called rings.

"Ah, it's a good thing that long-haired guy took them." I giggle at Tsuna's description.

"About that, Tsuna..." Dino sounded nervous and he had a strange grin on his face. That sounded bad.

"Yes?" Dino suddenly whipped out a box that looked identical to the one Squalo took. I pointed this out.

"Woah! That looks like the one S-err that guy took!"

"Haha. Yeah. They're right here." He rubbed his neck.

"WHAT?!" Tsuna's voice echoed through the whole hospital. I swung my feet. That was certainly a twist. "Wh-why?! But I saw him take them!"

"These are the _real_ ones."

"Ah! So he has fakes?" I ask.

"That's right. That's why I came." He turned his attention back to Tsuna. "A certain person asked me to give these to you."

"Why me?!"

"Because you're Vongola X that's wh-"

"Stop right there!" Tsuna waved his arms in front of his face. "I have to go home and study for make-up exams! Wish me luck!" He casually began slinking out of the room.

"H-hey, Tsuna-"

"See you later, Dino-san!" He slammed the door closed I flinch. I frown.

"Poor Tsuna..." I watch the door. He has so much on his shoulders. Recently, I've been so wrapped up in my own business that I haven't talked with him much. At times, I forget that he's the next Vongola Tenth. It wasn't fair to him at all. Tsuna didn't ask for this at all. And this boy, Basil, he was just thrown into the mix with a bunch of fake rings. There were so many victims in all of this...

"Reborn." I call out to him. He turns to me, looking grim. "What do you intend to do if the Varia comes to take the real rings?" Dino stared at me in shock.

"The only thing there is to do: fight for them."

* * *

"This is weird..." Gokudera held the ring up to the light.

"What is?" I flipped a page in my magazine and yawned. I was lying on Gokudera's hospital bed. Today, Yamamoto and Gokudera were being let out of the hospital. I was relieved that their injuries weren't that serious. A part of me wished they were so that I wouldn't have to go to school.

"It's a ring..." Looking up with interest, I realized it was a Vongola ring. But I was going to keep that knowledge to myself. Everything was happening too fast. I felt like my head was spinning. What would happen after this? Did the Varia know that we had the rings?

"That _is_ weird." He looked at the clock on the wall and tapped my back.

"Come on. Judaime is waiting!" Rolling my eyes, I let him drag me out of the room. Yamamoto was already waiting and conversing with Tsuna in the lobby. I stood beside Gokudera as he talked with Tsuna animatedly.

"These things are dangerous!" Tsuna pulled on his necklace and Yamamoto's eyes widened.

"You have one, Tsuna?!"

"Eh!? Judaime has one, too?!" Gokudera's eyes sparkled. I watched with interest.

 _Three so far._

"...because they've been chosen." I turned around. Dino and Reborn were standing there.

"There are seven rings in total. Their significance can only be realized when there are seven members carrying them," Reborn explained.

"Eh? So why are there only three?" Tsuna was getting scared again. It was completely understandable since anytime Reborn started explaining anything, it would end badly.

"There are more, but you haven't seen them all," Dino said.

"There are seven rings created for the members of the Vongola family members. Six of them belong to those who protect the tenth, Sawada Tsunayoshi." Everyone became dead silent. A thought occurred to me. If the Varia only had six members as of now, how would they fight? Their cloud guardian wasn't actually with them... Could they have replaced me so quickly? The thought saddened me. Gokudera was the one to break the silence.

"Wow! So I'm going to protect the tenth?! I knew I was destined to be his right-hand man!" I roll my eyes.

"So everyone has a different ring, right? Sky, rain, storm, cloud, mist, lightning, and sun." I ask. Reborn smirked.

"That's right. Each one represents something different."

"I see..." Gokudera holds his up. It was a storm. At least that's what it looked like from what I could tell.

"Do you know who each guardian is?" Reborn smirked.

"I'll let them figure it out."

"I can't believe it! I'm so excited!" The octopus-head was so oblivious to the dangers he was going to face. Reborn had the same sentiment.

"Don't get so hyped up. We have to train hard for this battle. If the Varia plans to get the rings-which they do-it will be a hard battle. They don't play clean." Reborn tips his fedora. I looked at Tsuna, Gokudera and Yamamoto. It wasn't fair. They were only kids and the Varia were a professional assassination squad. That guilt was suddenly looming over me. The threat of the Vongola being in danger was much more real. Xanxus was power-hungry like no other. If he was as determined to get these rings as Reborn led on, the Vongola would not succeed.

"Then, I'll train! I'll train until I can't feel my legs!" I jumped a little at Yamamoto's outburst.

"Me, too! Even if I blow up an arm and leg, I'll do my damnedest!" Reborn smirked.

"Then, you better get training if you want to be ready for this battle."

"Right!" They both run off and drag Tsuna along with them. My eyes were wide. They eventually closed and a genuine smile appeared on my lips. What they lack in power, they make up for in sheer determination.

"Cheyenne." Reborn called me.

"Hm?"

"What are you going to do?" I frowned, already knowing where this conversation was going. Varia or Vongola. The choice seemed so easy, but was it really?

"Reborn told me about the Varia..." Dino looked at my back with understanding. I clenched my fist until it turned white.

"Truthfully, I'm unsure. If you asked me when I first got here, the answer would be clear. Now..." My words drifted toward the end.

"You should take your place as their cloud guardian." Did I hear that right? I turned to see Dino with certainty in his eyes.

"Dino..."

"Tsuna and his friends wouldn't think any less of you. You should go where you belong. They'll understand." He smiled. The Arcobaleno nodded.

"I'm the one who brought you here. It wouldn't be right if you weren't allowed to be by your family's side. _You are Varia_." His last words rung in my ear like a prayer.

 _I am Varia._

"Thank you."

* * *

I lied on the roof floor with my arms crossed behind my head. The prefect was beside me with his eyes closed. It was very serene. We started making this a habit. It would take a lot of begging, but we would get out of that stuffy office every once in a while. Although I was currently skipping class, Hibari gave up on chastising me for that long ago. Speaking of him, he was watching me warily. He noticed my smile and became _very_ annoyed.

"What's that smile, woman?"

"I'm just happy." He smirked.

"Oh?" Hibari sat up.

"I was told something today..." As I expected, he hit my forehead. I pout.

"Stop stalling and tell me already."

"No! You hit me and now I don't feel like telling you!" He glared. "Aish! Fine. Since we're so close, I'll trust you with this."

"Tell me before I lose my patience." A wry smile forms on my lips. I knew I had his attention now.

"I'm going to be with my family soon!" I grinned from ear to ear. It was something so silly and it probably didn't mean anything to him, but it meant a lot to me. Hibari frowned and stared at me intently.

"You're in Namimori now. You can't le-" The door to the roof suddenly slammed open. Hibari growled, seeming annoyed that someone interrupted what he was about to say. It was Dino! This was unexpected...

"Dino-kun!" The blonde seemed surprised to see me here...and troubled? Sitting up, I smiled and waved at him excitedly.

"You know this pathetic herbivore?" Hibari already had his tonfas in his hand and was standing in a fighting position. Dino waved his hands in front of his face and sweatdropped.

"Don't be so hasty, Kyo-" Hibari swung at him.

"Don't call me that, herbivore." He was angry now and he just kept swinging. For the life of me, I never understood why Hibari was so adamant on not being called Kyoya.

"Kyoya! This is really-" I tried reasoning with him.

"Don't worry Cheyenne! This is what I'm here for!" Laughing, Dino smiled in my direction and winked. My face turned red. Seeing the wink that Dino sent me, Hibari looked back at me. There was something unreadable in his eyes. Catching Dino off guard, he landed a hit on his stomach. Dino coughed and backed up.

"Dino! Be careful!" Hibari looked back again and frowned.

"Stay out of this, woman." Dino was about to punch him, but Hibari dodged at the last second.

"Nice dodge, Kyoya!" I smiled. Hibari was strong. He smirked.

"You're strong! But I want you to be stronger!" They exchanged blows and dodges for a few seconds. Never have I seen Dino fight, but I was impressed. If he could fight against Hibari and do well, surely he was strong, too!

"I don't need to be stronger, herbivore." Smug as always, I see... Smirking, he attacked Dino from both sides at the same time, but Dino pulled out his whip in one, quick movement.

"Kyoya, watch his whip!" Hibari moved back and it narrowly missed hitting him in the chest. Instead, it wrapped around his right tonfa. Dino laughed.

"Don't help him!" I giggle. "If he's going to be a successful cloud guardian, he has to be stronger!"

"I agree-" My eyes widen. Dino was watching my reaction.

 _Cloud guardian?_

"Ughhhh..."

This was _not_ good.

* * *

 **If there are any errors, PM me and I will rectify them as soon as I can! If you have any character/episode/plot you want me to write about, tell me and I might include it! Please leave a review! I love reading them!**


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 : And They Met**

* * *

A few days passed since Dino's 'training' with Hibari. The brunette didn't see it as training at all whatsoever. In fact, he tried getting Dino kicked out of the school multiple times, but the amount of people in suits walking behind him at all times was intimidating. So Dino got off scott free.

Outside, the last of the cherry blossoms were falling, signifying that fall would start soon. Even though the cherry blossoms were beautiful, I couldn't wait for the pollen to go away. Hibari was especially annoyed during this time, since his memories of Kokuyo were still fresh. And his annoyance didn't bode well for me.

I was resting my chin on my palm, staring outside, bored. Being with the Vongola was great and all, but the Varia were coming and that only made every day seem longer for me. So soon. So close. Be patient.

"Woman." I slowly turned my head to face him. "It's time for you to go home." Frowning, I looked down at my hands. Ever since Skull left to go attend to some famiglia business, I've been lonely at home. Truthfully, Hibari's company was much better than being alone.

"Kyoya... Can I stay a bit longer?" He had a smug smile.

"Oh?"

"Shut up! I just don't want to be alone." Hibari looked at the wall, presumably the clock, before turning to me.

"Then stop looking outside and file these papers for me." He smacked the files onto my desk-well, his desk. Grinning, I stood up happily and waltzed over to the cabinets. This was fine...

"Kyoya..."

"Hm." I could hear the scribbling of his pen.

"What do you do in your free time?" It stopped. I turned around to see his reaction. His face was something I've never seen on him before: utter puzzlement.

"I read. Maybe write." He quickly returned to his work.

"Just as I thought! You're boring. Don't you like to go out and have fun? Go to the zoo or a restaurant or something?"

"I don't have time for any of that." A frown formed on my lips. What was Hibari's home life? Now that I thought about it, I didn't know what Hibari did outside of school.

"Kyoya..."

"Hm."

"Can I see your house some day?" Hibari placed his pen on the table.

"Why are you so nosey today?" I pouted, hands on my hips.

"I'm not nosey! I've known you for nearly two years now, Kyoya! I think we're close enough for me to know where you live..." Trailing off, I blushed when I realized how...intimate that sounded. I wasn't his girlfriend or anything, so why was I getting so worked up.

"You know what? Nevermind. I didn't say anything." I started rifling through the cabinets again.

"I suppose you can." My body twisted around and I jumped over to his desk, pure joy etched into my face.

"Really?!" I watched him. He didn't seem to be kidding. "Oh yay! I'm so excited I can't wait!" He continued writing signatures on the papers, annoyed, but also slightly embarrassed.

The prefect would die before he could figure me out.

"Okay, woman. Get back to work." Hibari ordered, frustrated now with my excessive celebration.

"Okay okay. Sorry," I apologized.

The two of us worked for a long time. And I was content with just standing in silence with him. To any passerby, we were two awkward teenagers, but to us, silence was a comforting aspect of our relationship.

That was until my phone beeped. I gasped, noticing it was a reminder that my shift at TakeSushi was starting.

"KYA! Oh my god!" Hibari peeked his head from behind his paperwork to see me panicking and gathering my stuff. He nearly facepalmed.

"Irresponsible woman."

"Be quiet! It's your fault for making me stay longer!" Quickly stuffing my phone into my bag, I grabbed my house keys from off his desk. He raised his brow.

"You're the one who wanted to stay long-"

"Bye, Kyoya! I'll see you tomorrow! Or today! Or whenever I see you!" I slammed the door on the way out, making him flinch. He frowned and angrily stared at the door. Then, he noticed my coat hanging on the hook of the hanger. Shaking his head, he returned to his work.

* * *

"Yoshi-oji, can we practice the blowfish cutting again? I think I can do it by myself this time!" Wiping my hands, I eagerly awaited his answer. Now was as good a time as any since there weren't any customers. He sharpened his katana on his stone, bringing it up to the light before wiping it with a soft and oiled towel.

"Oh, alright." I grinned.

"Yay yay yay~ I'm gonna do it all by myself this time!" Tsuyoshi chuckled from the back as he went to grab the fish. I followed him there. They were in a container of ice water. He reached in to find an adequate fish.

"You sure you're ready? You only practiced five tim-" the bell of the store rang. He perked his head up. "Oh. I better see what they want. Stay back here for a sec." Drying his hands on his apron, he went back to the front to help the customer.

"Oh! Welcome back!" Tsuyoshi sounded especially happy to see the customer. I wondered who it was. Walking around, I touched the scales of some of the hanging fish. I sometimes questioned why he had so many fish shipped in every day when only a select few are used.

He eventually returned with a huge grin on his face. "You got lucky! Our customer is willing to test your skills out!" A knot formed in my stomach.

"Yoshi-oji, I don't think I'm ready to actually serve a blowfish to a customer-"

"Nonsense!" Tsuyoshi began pushing me out of the back. "What happened to your 'can-do' attitude?" I turned around to reason with him.

"Wait! I can't poison the customer! What if I cut it wrong?!" Waving his hand, he shrugged off my worries.

"He's a tough customer. I think he could swallow a whole poison sack and still live," he joked. "Plus, I'll be watching you, so don't worry! Now go and make that fish better than anyone ever has!" He gave me one last shove through the curtains. Who I saw sitting at the table was someone I was not expecting.

"Belphegor?!" He looked just as shocked as I did. His mouth was pulled down into a small frown. I stood there for a good minute. In a second, I ran from behind the counter and tackled him in a hug.

"Ushi shi shi shi shi shi shi shi~" Bel returned the hug, squeezing me. Tsuyoshi, crossed his arms and smiled warmly, watching the scene.

"Bel!" I grabbed onto his coat in a vice grip. He sat up, but I wouldn't let him go. And for what seemed like the hundredth time in my time in Japan, I started crying. My tears stained his coat. The teen frowned upon seeing my tears.

"Aren't you happy to see me?"

"I'm so ha-hap-happy!" I wrapped my arms behind his chest and brought him closer. This was maybe the best moment of my life. Inhaling deeply to calm my erratic breathing, I got a deep whiff of his scent and only cried harder. It was the smell of metal and cologne, something I was so used to smelling at home.

"Then why are you crying?"

"Because I mi-mi-missed you so mu-much!"

"That makes no sense." He shook his head, but grinned with joy nonetheless. Just the simple notion of me missing him enough to cry made him melt inside. The prince let me cry for a little longer until my hiccups went away. Belphegor patted my back, urging me off him.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I was just really excited!"

"Ushi shi shi~ I know. How could you not miss me?" Rolling my eyes, I went back to the counter. He sat on the chair, patiently waiting for his food.

"You ready?" Tsuyoshi asked.

"Yes, sir!" I saluted and he placed the blowfish on the cutting board. Grabbing the knife, I swiftly sliced off the skin and cut around the mouth before removing the skin in one, quick movement. Belphegor watched with a straight face.

"She's good, isn't she?" Tsuyoshi commented upon seeing Belphegor's impressed expression.

"I didn't expect it. I really thought I was going to die," Bel teased. I pouted.

"I'm not that bad!" The chef chuckled.

"Get back to it. There's more." Nodding, I grabbed the salt and sprinkled it all over the fish to remove the jelly off the fish. After I washed that, I sliced the eyes from their sockets.

"Oops! They fell on the floor!"

"Don't worry! Keep going! You're at the hard part now!" Bel watched, genuinely curious. I leaned in closely to find the liver, cutting the small veins holding it to the fish. Afterward, I took out the stomach, heart and kidneys.

Then, I cut up against the bone, like I would when cutting sashimi, and put it into small parts for him to eat. I severed the head and let Tsuyoshi decide what to do with it. I lied my knife down and wiped my hands on a towel. Laughing, I grinned with pride, knowing I cut it well.

"Hmm..." Bel had a huge smirk on his face. "I can't believe how good you got with that knife." I blushed and rubbed my neck.

"Tsuyoshi has been very patient with teaching me. A few months ago, I could barely take the bone of a salmon!" Said man chuckled jovially.

"That felt like yesterday! I remember that day you left in a ribcage spine! The customer was so worried you'd poisoned them!" I hid my face in my hands. Bel observed us with interest.

"You've changed." Belphegor pointed out, interrupting us. I tilted my head.

"Did I? I don't feel any different..."

"Ushi~ I definitely noticed~" He separated his chopsticks. "Itadamimasu." Tsuyoshi and I continued our conversation of my numerous fuck-ups; Belphegor eyed us.

After he finished his food, he placed down his credit card as I sweatdropped.

"You never have cash, do you, Bel?" The prince simply grinned. He then grabbed my hand from over the counter and urged me to come with him.

"Let's walk."

"I can't, Bel. My shift isn't over."

"Yeah it is," Tsuyoshi said from behind me. I watched at the clock.

"No it's not, sir. It doesn't end until-"

"That means hurry up and come on, peasant." Belphegor put his hands in his pockets. Looking back at Tsuyoshi, he gave me a thumbs up.

"Go. There's not many people coming in on a Tuesday." He waved his hand. I smiled with excitement.

"Thank you so much!" Quickly, I removed my apron and hung it on the hook before grabbing Bel's hand and skipping out.

"I'll see you tomorrow!"

"And be on time!"

"Of course, Yoshi-oji!" We both left the sushi shop, Bel's hand in mine. I realized I was still holding it and quickly took it back. Bel wouldn't comment, but he was secretly enjoying it. As I walked, I noticed the weather. It was sunny out, but there was a cold breeze. I cursed myself now, for forgetting my coat in the Disciplinary Committee club room.

"I'm surprised you learned to use a knife like that. I thought you were useless," he teased.

"Hey! I'm not that useless! Plus, Tsuyoshi used to do kendo and trained in swordplay. He's a good teacher," I explained.

"That might be useful in the ring battle."

"WHAT?!" He looked at me as if I was stupid.

"Did you forget? You're our cloud guardian." That made you feel fuzzy and warm inside. "The first one is the sun battle with the pervert and you have to be there."

"Okay! I can't wait to see you battle, Bel! You're gonna win, no doubt!" He grinned cockily.

"I know. Ushi shi shi shi shi~" I faced forward and noticed a familiar face walking toward me. Hibari had my coat in his hand and I thanked the gods for him being in good enough of a mood to find me and bring it to me. He frowned and glared at Belphegor, who was still grinning like a madman, oblivious.

I jogged forward and left Bel behind to grab it.

"Thank you so much, Kyoya!" Beaming at him, I quickly put on my coat and sighed. It was so warm~

"Next time you forget, I'll bite you to death." I waved his words away.

"Yeah yeah." Eventually, Belphegor reached us and he was more than displeased.

"Who is this peasant?" He asked, but not really. His voice was venomous.

"This is my friend, Hibari! We're in the disciplinary committee together!" I waved my hand, expecting Hibari to introduce himself, but he just continued glaring at Belphegor. "And, Hibari, this my family! His name is Belphegor!"

"These are the kind of friends you have? Ushi shi shi~ Looks pathetic." In a second, Hibari pulled out his tonfas to hit Belphegor, but the prince deflected it with a knife.

"I'll bite you to death, herbivore."

"Ushi shi shi shi shi~ I'd like to see you try, filthy peasant."

"WAH WAH WAH WAIT! Why are we fighting each other?! Can we be friends?" Belphegor grinned and pressed his knife against Hibari's tonfas.

"Nope~" He teased, but eventually stepped back. Hibari smirked and put down his tonfas, too.

"We'll see each other again, herbivore." The prefect walked passed us, jacket flowing behind him.

"Ushi~" I looked up at Bel. There was a certain emotion on his face that I couldn't place. "We will."

* * *

"Is everyone enjoying their food?" I smiled, hands interlaced in front of me.

"VOI! THIS IS THE BEST SHIT I'VE HAD IN MONTHS!" Squalo yelled with pure enthusiasm. It made me feel fluffy inside. The captain always made me so happy in his own, loud way.

"It's wonderful, Che-chan! You don't know how much we've missed your cooking!" Lussuria marveled. And Luss, as always, endlessly flattering.

"As long as I got wine..." Xanxus took a sip.

"It's as good as always," Levi, for once, complimented.

"It's free and good. A great combination." I sweatdropped upon hearing Mammon's response.

"My peasant makes the best food. I hate Lussuria's food." He made a face.

"Mah! It's not that bad!"

"That shit was not food, Lussuria!" Squalo screamed.

"Rude! I prepared it with love!"

"Your love means nothing."

"Ushi~ You must not love us very much." Sighing, I went to go prepare the sleeping arrangements.

Why are they in my house, you ask? It's cheap and less suspicious. Even if the neighbors could hear Squalo yelling the whole night, it would attract a lot less attention than if they were in a hotel. They were gonna get antsy at the lack of comfortable sleeping conditions, but they were the ones that wanted to room with me.

Now, where would they be sleeping? Xanxus definitely gets my room upstairs. He was the boss, so he needed to be as comfortable as possible. Levi could sleep outside my room, beside the door. He's like a guard dog, right? Bel would proudly saunter up and claim the couch. Mammon would sleep anywhere cushioned, so probably on top of me. Squalo... I had favoritism for my dearest shark, so he could take the recliner and Lussuria and I would sleep on the floor together.

* * *

At least I thought that would be the arrangement.

"Why can't I sleep on the floor?" Squalo asked.

"You...want to sleep on the floor?" I was thoroughly confused. Why would he sleep on the floor when the recliner was already his?

"Yeah! I can't sleep in a fucking chair! Shitty prince isn't gonna budge from that couch and stupid boss is sleeping in your bed already!"

"Shut up down there, scum!" Xanxus yelled. He was probably getting cozy already. That damn boss...

"Well, if Lussuria doesn't mind-"

"Oh, Che-chan! Don't worry your pretty head about me! I don't want to burden you! I'll sleep anywhere!" Smiling, I grabbed Lussuria's hand.

"Thank you. You make my life so much easier." He puckered his lips and kissed my cheek.

"It's nothing! You and Squ-kun have nice sleep!" Lussuria grabbed a blanket and reclined himself into a comfortable position, all the while sporting a few curlers. 'Always have to look my best' was what he said when I asked him.

"Ushi~ Tuck me in, peasant." I tilted my head.

"Huh? You've never asked me to do that before." He grinned and urged me over.

"Don't do anything fishy! I'll cut your balls off!" Squalo growled. Regardless, I walked over to Bel and tucked the blanket all the way to his chin. Bel looked like a smug cat.

"Give me a goodnight kiss-"

"Fuck off!" The shark captain yelled before dragging me over to the spot where I set up some blankets. Belphegor just laughed and turned around, facing the couch to sleep. Mammon decided to sleep on the edge of Bel's couch.

"Alright, Squalo. Let's sleep." I clapped my hands together and he nodded. After turning off the lights, we both got comfortable on the floor, him looking away from me.

Finally having my thoughts to myself, I thought about the ring battles. We would win. There wasn't a doubt in my mind. The Vongola were too weak and too fresh in terms of fighting experience. Hibari was the only person who would walk away with a ring on their side and it made me sad. I would be the one to let us down.

I frowned. The Varia were my heart and soul, but seeing the Vongola lose would break my heart, too. We had grown close in terms of friendship. Tsuna was kind, Yamamoto always made me laugh, Gokudera was the closest piece of Italy I could get, Ryohei always motivated me and Lambo was just a kid who needed to be taken care of. The mist guardian was still a total mystery to me, but I'm sure Mammon would win, too.

"Hey. I can hear you worry over there." Squalo cut through the silence.

"Sorry. I'm just thinking."

"What?" He turned around.

"The ring battles start tomorrow."

"And?"

"I don't know. I'm just worried."

"About what? You know we're gonna win."

"Exactly."

"Oh. You're scared for the Vongola kids? They're yours buddies now, huh?" He sneered.

"I love the Varia. I love all of you guys a lot, but they've taken care of me for the past year and half. I can't turn my head and close my eyes." He hummed in thought.

"True enough. I can't make you feel better. It won't be easy for them," he replied honestly. I frowned.

"I know."

"But those Vongola kids aren't snot nosed brats, either. They'll live." That made me giggle. He wasn't good at comforting me, but he was funny when he wanted to be.

"Thanks."

"And you're not scared for your battle? 'Thought you'd be shitting yourself by now." Shaking my head, I smiled, thinking about all of the possible scenarios.

"I know who I'm facing. He's probably the person I've become closest with in my time at Namimori." He clicked his teeth.

"That fucking sucks, huh? That's why you shouldn't make friends with your friends' enemies." I giggled before continuing.

"I can't count how many times he's beat me up. This is routine. I'll try my hardest not to look so pathetic, but he'll definitely win."

"Shit. You're friends with someone that abuses you? I thought Bel did that enough." The prince chucked a knife at Squalo's head. He narrowly dodged it.

"VOI! YOU FUCKING SLEEP WITH THOSE THINGS?!" A loud 'bang' from upstairs made everyone shut up. Xanxus was a grouch when he was sleepy. Even more so than when he was awake.

"Anyway, I'm not worried. The worst that could happen is death. And well, in the mafia, shit happens, right?" Squalo watched me with a surprised expression.

"You've changed a lot, kid. You grew a fucking back bone finally," he grinned. I giggled.

"Thanks, Squalo. I missed you a lot." He groaned.

"Don't get mushy with me. I'll smack you." The long-haired man turned around. I started braiding his hair, happy to be in his presence. And judging by how he shivered, he didn't mind it at all. Just like when I was a kid. He would always let me braid his hair in private when I was sad. You would never guess that Squalo was the sweetest of them.

I fell asleep like that. And honestly? It was most peaceful sleep I had in a long time.

* * *

We were standing in the Namimori hallways, pretty happy. With the exception of myself. I thought the Varia were invincible, but I put them on too high of a pedestal. Lussuria lost his battle and it came with a heavy consequence. Levi barely won and if it wasn't for Lambo changing back, he would have lost. For Xanxus, a win was a win, so he moved on, gloating in spite of us being tied and not annihilating like I thought we would.

Squalo placed his hand on my head when he saw my glum face.

"Stop fucking frowning. Bel's got this." I nodded and focused on the battle at hand. Bel, being the genius he was, confused Gokudera at every moment. Internally, I was cheering for both, but I felt like I was betraying the Vongola. The day I told them I was part of the Varia came as complete surprise since I didn't even tell them. I kind of just showed up beside them when the first ring battle was about to start.

And the one who took it the hardest was definitely Gokudera. He yelled at me and called me a lying traitor, but eventually shut up when Reborn told him to. Now, anytime he saw me at school, he would glare at me and proceed to ignore me. It hurt. Tsuna and Yamamoto treated me the same and Hibari was oblivious to the battles in general.

And as I saw Gokudera lying on the ground in pain as Bel went into his bloodlust mode, I felt guilt. I wanted to cheer him on so badly, but he wouldn't want to hear it.

"My royal blood...has been spilled! It won't stop falling~"

"That guy just gets weirder."

"Now it has really begun."

They fought for a while longer, trading blows and foiling each other's strategies until the Millefiore twins announced the time in the loudspeaker.

"The allotted time has ended. The bombs will begin to blow up." I felt my heart hammering in my chest. Belphegor was on the ground, pure adrenaline keeping him up. Gokudera was fighting for the ring, too, but Bel was on top of him, desperately grasping for the ring.

"His pure instinct to win is what's keeping him up." I anxiously bit the skin on my lip.

"Bel, get out please..." Squalo looked at me with sympathy.

"Suck it up. That brat won't lose or die." He said confidently. Anything Squalo told me would be taken as fact. And so a bomb blew up in their location soon after he told me that. It took a while, but the smoke cleared. Bel lied there, grin on his face and a singular, whole ring in his hand. I sighed in relief when I saw that Gokudera had already gotten away.

"I won~"

* * *

Treating Bel's injuries was difficult, but I managed. He was wincing and giggling the whole time. Usually, he treated his own injuries, but he could barely even move his index finger. His whole body was wrapped in bandages and a light cast.

"Bel? Do you want me to feed you?"

"He can feed himself! Don't spoil the brat more than he already is!" Squalo protested. Bel frowned.

"Stupid shark. Always ruining my fun." I smiled sadly.

"I'll do it anyway. You deserve it." He giggled and wiggled around.

"Yay~"

* * *

I bit my lip anxiously, drawing blood.

"I'll be fine! Stop worrying!"

"Nobody can kill Superbi Squalo!"

"Voi! I've got it!"

Everything was crashing down around me. Yamamoto was pathetically trying to carry him with what little strength he had. The dangerous shark loomed beneath them. I wanted to go in there and stab that shark myself if it meant saving Squalo and forfeiting the match. He was too precious to me.

Suddenly, Squalo left Yamamoto's grip and I sighed with relief, knowing he still had fighting spirit in him.

"Go Squalo!" I cried, somewhere between happiness and nervousness. Squalo gave Yamamoto a speech about being too weak. Chuckling, I couldn't help but feel that it was a terrible time to be lecturing someone.

"Oh~" Bel pointed at a spot on the screen and I gasped. The shark! Squalo turned his head for a moment and it swallowed him whole.

"SQUALO!" I shrieked. Grabbing my head, I tried calming myself down. To no avail. Tears poured down my eyes like a waterfall and for a second, I hoped it wasn't real, but the bubbles subsiding on the surface proved it was. "SQUALO!"

"Who knew the shark captain would be shark food!" Xanxus cackled madly. Falling to my knees, I stared at the screen, trembling. I felt so empty. Like someone had sucked the soul from my body. The rest of the Varia didn't stick around for very long. They quickly began moving back to my house.

I just sat there, steadily staring at the screen. Yamamoto had already left the battlefield, but I stared and stared and stared. It was all I knew how to do at that moment. And there was dead silence. Silence was something terrified me more than anything. Squalo and Lussuria were no longer there to fill it.

A hand planted on my shoulder, making me jump. I turned to see Bel with a grin, but it quickly went away. Why was his peasant crying this time?

"Don't cry. I hate it when you cry. I don't know what it means or how to fix it."

"Sorry..."

"Kaching. I'll buy you anything you want. We can go to an amusement park together. I'll play something you like with you. Do you want a horse? I can buy it-" I smiled and shook my head.

"Just keep talking." He nodded and started talking about himself or past missions he went on. It made me smile.

"Peasant. If you're sad about the perverted guy and sharky dying, don't be. They don't die so easy." Looking at him, I realized he was serious.

"Pinky Promise?"

"No." He stuck out his bandaged ring finger. "Prince promise. It's better than a stupid pinky promise." We interlocked fingers.

"Okay. Thanks, Bel."

"Ushi~ It's the prince's job to take care of his peasant."

* * *

Mammon fought the Vongola mist guardian who was a fragile girl, until the real guardian decided to show his face. Mukuro Rokudo. Whenever I heard that name, I got a raging headache. I knew him from somewhere, but I couldn't figure it out. My head kept blocking out the memories. But I couldn't worry about that now.

It was time for my battle. I was anxious and everyone could probably could smell my sweat from a mile away. Truthfully, I had no reason to be nervous since I was fighting Hibari. His moves were old news to me and I've been beaten up countless times to be really surprised by it anymore. But the moment he stepped into the field, he glared at me so fiercely it struck a cord in me.

"You herbivores don't play fair." He glared at the Varia before turning his attention to me again. "I did not expect this. I'm going to bite you to death."

"Well," I chuckled. "That is what we're fighting for, isn't it?" He didn't even know what to say. Hibari didn't want to fight me like this. Hitting me countless times on his own terms was fine, but this was not fair.

The baby promised a strong opponent. I wasn't a strong opponent, just near impossible to fight. It was very different. Bel was observing the fight with a telling smirk.

"EHHH?! Hibari-san is fighting Cheyenne-san!?" Tsuna wiped his eyes. Reborn kicked him.

"DameTsuna, focus." I looked passed Hibari and waved at the Vongola crew.

"Hey, everyone!" Yamamoto laughed.

"I don't know who to cheer for!" Just as I was going to respond, Hibari hit me on the head with his tonfas. Belphegor frowned angrily.

"Pay attention, woman. I'm your opponent," the prefect taunted. The Millefiore twins panicked.

"The battle has not commenced yet-"

"I know," we responded at the same time. They backed away and looked at each other.

"Now, if there are no further interruptions..." I swallowed my saliva and glanced at Hibari, only to see he was already staring dead at me. "The cloud guardian battle has begun!" He quickly jumped at me, which I dodged, as I ran away toward the other side of the fence.

"Cheyenne-san! Are you gonna be okay?!" Tsuna was pale. Smiling, I sent him a thumbs up.

"I'm fine. Hibari isn't-" I ducked upon hearing his shoes click behind me. His tonfas slammed into the fence where Tsuna's face was.

"HIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!"

"Hey, bastard! Don't hit so close to the tenth!" Hibari ignored him and began throwing kicks my way. Again, I ran off, letting him trail behind me. When I stopped to prepare an attack, he was already behind me, aiming blows. What could I do? He wasn't fast enough to attack me, but he was fast enough to not let me get an attack in.

Belphegor sent me a grin and his knife popped from beneath his sleeve for a split second. What? What was he doing? I ran in his direction, narrowly dodging Hibari all the while. He yanked his hand a little and suddenly the light fixture above us fell over and broke. It almost fell on Hibari, but he dodged.

I had an epiphany. It took me back to my first mission with Bel when I used his knives to knock down the chandelier on Hibari. All around us there were light poles and I had to use Bel's strings and knives to knock them down. Grinning, I ran around for a couple more minutes, throwing knives around the light poles until I could Hibari's reflexes slowing down. He didn't see the fight between Belphegor and Gokudera, so he didn't know what I was planning.

"Stop running, woman. This is a fight not a-" he swung at me. "-Race."

"It is a race! A race to see who loses first!" I grinned and yanked the knives toward me using the invisible wire. The pole came crashing down on his leg and I could hear a sickening pop. Although I felt terrible, I knew Hibari would pay me back tenfold when he saw me at school.

"Ushi shi shi shi shi~ My peasant is finally learning what it means to be Varia!" Bel commented. Xanxus cackled. Hibari didn't give up, though. And I didn't expect him to. He was the type of person who would fight just for the sake of his pride. If anything, he would be more fired up now.

An icy glare was what I saw as soon as I turned around. He didn't move his eyes off me as he popped his knee back in place. The man didn't even flinch! Fucking savagery!

"I'm not done, woman. Don't celebrate until I win," he sneered. I gulped. Hibari stood up, albeit shakily, and ran toward me again. I frowned and threw Bel's knives at him. He couldn't dodge all of them. His left arm had five knives lodged in them. It was a grotesque thing to see.

"Kyoya-"

"Don't pity me and keep fighting." He took my moment of disgust to hit me on the head with his tonfa. Just because he was tired didn't mean he couldn't hit hard because damnit, I was seeing black for a second!

"Ouch!" Hibari hit me again and I stumbled back and fell onto the floor. My cheek felt bloody on the inside. It was one of the worst things I've ever experienced. I coughed up some blood as I held my face. It was so painful that my whole face was numb. Bel clenched the fence, gritting his teeth.

"This is why you can't let your guard down, woman," he said as he removed the knives from his arm and let them fall beside me. He leaned forward toward my face inspecting the blow for a moment. I closed my eyes, wondering if he was going to finish me off like all the other Varia that lost. I felt a small yank on my neck and when I opened my eyes, he was clicking the ring together.

"I won, but I don't want this trash," he said as he nonchalantly tossed the ring toward the Millefiore twins. He grabbed my arm, gently urging me to stand up, but Belphegor threw a knife at him, nicking his cheek. Hibari instantly took a step back and put up his tonfas. Bel stood beside me as he yanked me toward him.

"Stop touching her. The fight is over, filthy peasant." I could tell he was trying to hold his anger. Hibari glared at him and tried hitting him before Levi stepped in and blocked the hit. The prefect couldn't do anything. Two against one was not in his quota.

"Bel, stop this before you forfeit your ring and anger the boss," he stated. Bel slung my arm around his shoulder and walked back toward the Varia leader. I looked at the ground, afraid of what Xanxus would do to me. I felt like I was going to suffocate in the silence.

"I can't get rid of you right now, so consider yourself lucky, scum," he huffed. Right now? Bel looked at me with a grin.

"Let it be, peasant." Huh? What was with all of this confusing talk?

"And you," Hibari suddenly spoke. What? Whaaaaat?! Why was he pointing at Xanxus so cockily?! Doesn't he know that Xanxus could kick his ass?! I shook my head furiously at him, but he continued. "I want to fight the leader of monkey mountain before I leave." Xanxus hopped down and in an instant, Hibari began fighting.

Man, I thought I could dodge, but Xanxus made me look like an amateur. And with all the explosions and gunfire all around them, it was even more dangerous.

"Boss!"

"Hold on, Mr. Sullen."

"Sullen?"

"Boss is scheming something~" He grinned.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I don't know, but I bet Squalo would have known." Squalo...he knows the boss better than anyone. Someone please tell me he doesn't plan on hurting Hibari. A light flew out of Xanxus's hand. Did he just block him? I didn't think Hibari was that strong... He was probably going easy on me to make me feel better.

"Unbelievable," Bel smirked. The prince was probably thinking the same thing I was. Something caught my eye. The ground was blinking...

"Hibari! Watch out!" I screamed on instinct. But it was too late. A green laser flew into his side. Gasping, I held onto Bel's coat harder.

"Boss...what are you planning?" He mumbled. A few rockets suddenly flew out of the same place. Bel watched as they flew towards us.

"Shit, move!" The prince grabbed me and quickly moved us out of the way of the blast. Levi screamed in pain. Fucking idiot. Suddenly, a robot flew out of the ground. What the fuck?!

"Gola Mosca!" Belphegor grinned.

"Huh?!"

"We stole the Mosca and the IX's spirit a while ago to replace you as the cloud guardian, but we didn't use him. I see the boss's plan now~" I looked at the robot as it flew around, destroying everything in its way. I heard Hibari cough and I so badly wanted to help him. He was just fighting me for fun; he didn't mean for this to happen.

"Isn't this illegal?"

"Not if they don't know who Mosca belongs to." Amidst all the gunfire and turmoil, I saw a flame.

"Tsuna!"

"What?" Bel turned to me. Gola's light went out as he collapsed into a heap. Behind the smoke was a familiar, soon-to-be Vongola boss.

"He came, but," he said that as Gola Mosca stood back up and propelled himself into the air and blew everything up again. But Tsuna was not having any of that. He quickly knocked it down from the sky. Gola Mosca lied on the ground for a few seconds before the rockets turned on him. No matter how many rockets or lasers he shot at him, Tsuna would beat him into the ground.

"I can't believe it..." Belphegor was in awe. I honestly was, too. Tsuna in my eyes was always a wimp, but seeing him in action made me feel differently.

"Incredible..." All three of us turned to Xanxus, who was chuckling. When I turned my attention, I noticed the old man on the ground.

"You attacked the Vongola 9th." I sat down on the ground and quietly watched as Tsuna and the old man exchanged words, occasionally glancing at Xanxus. He was being disgraced, by his own father no less. Tsuna was admirable and Xanxus was a monster. That's what everyone was thinking. He was cruel, but he wasn't a monster!

Bel ran his hands through my hair. I didn't even notice how frustrated I was getting. Unclenching my fists, I took a deep breath.

"That's why I chose you." Xanxus flinched. The old man's flame slowly went out. We didn't even have a moment silence before Xanxus started talking.

"As the Vongola's true son, I take you killing him as a challenge to the honor of the Vongola family." I sweatdropped. Maybe Xanxus was a teeny bit of a monster-but hey! I still love my boss! Yeah, okay, I admit it. He's a bastard.

"If he avenged the 9th's death by framing Tsuna. It would be different," Reborn explained. Man, Xanxus was more of an evil mastermind than I thought.

"Ushi shi shi~ How typical of the boss." The twins stepped in.

"We will take care of this battle." There were yells of protest, but there was nothing to be done. They nodded toward Xanxus.

"The battle of who will be the Vongola 10th will be called the sky match. Does this suit you?" They waited for Xanxus's approval.

"Fine," he huffed, but he was probably feeling real smug. "This will be the last act of your comedy show." Belphegor stood up and grabbed me.

"We're leaving?" I wondered. Bel quietly confirmed my suspicions. Sighing, I closed my eyes and waited for the glowing light. Xanxus's hand errupted in a bright light until the whole area was blinded. After a few seconds, the light dissipated and we appeared back home. I collapsed on the ground, the tiredness of my body suddenly crashing down on me.

The last thing that came to my mind was: What did Xanxus have planned for the ring battle?

* * *

 **If there are any errors, PM me and I will rectify them as soon as I can! If you have any character/episode/plot you want me to write about, tell me and I might include it! Please leave a review! I love reading them!**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 : The Battle of the Rings**

* * *

The smell of blood drifts into my nose. My eyes flutter open and in an instant, a sharp pain flows through my face. I try to sit up, but a bandaged hand pushes me back down.

"Shh. I'm almost done," is Belphegor's hushed response. Something slices at my skin painfully. Jumping, I arch my back away from it. He places his left hand on my neck to force me to lie down.

"D-don't you h-have anesthetics...?"

"Mammon said you would be okay..." Fucking baby! I'm glad he's alive and well, but seriously! Cheapskate! Bel pricks me again. I squeeze my eyes together. Although I can't see what he's doing, I can only imagine since he's trying to stitch it back together.

"Mah! Bel! Can't you be more gentle?!" Twisting my head to the left, I see Lussuria tied down to a bed, probably in the same condition as me. Bel grabs my face and cocks it back in place. I wince again.

"Keep moving and I'll cut you a new mouth~ Ushi shi," Bel giggles. Gulping, I tense up like a rock.

"I know you're so happy to see me! And Mammon-chan is here, too!"

...What about Squalo?

My 'nurse' brings out a needle and some transparent stitches. He grins at my terrified expression and soft squeak.

"I'll be gentle~ Don't worry~" I feel relieved. But that sensation quickly went away when he pulled at my skin with the needle.

"That looks terrible! I'm glad I had the Vongola doctors work on me," Lussuria comments.

"My work is better than any of theirs, stupid pervert." Bel frowns and accidentally poked my face in the wrong place. Lussuria, shut the fuck up before he stabs my eye on accident! I can't say that of course.

"Mhmm. Right. You just didn't want those 'filthy' doctors touching 'your peasant'. Don't deny your love~" Belphegor puts down the needle before grabbing a knife and chucking it at him. Lussuria screams in pain.

"My bicep! You cruel, cruel, little brat!" I frown.

"Bel?" He turns his head toward me. "Can we please finish this?" The prince grins.

"Ushi shi shi shi shi~ Is the pain too much? I'll be fast~" He quickly returns to his work, this time more calmly.

* * *

I run my fingers over the stitches on my cheek. From what I could see, Bel did almost professional work. It made me wonder how long exactly he's been cutting people and things with knives. And then I start thinking about him in a doctor's coat and it ruins my image of him. I giggle.

"What's so funny, peasant?" Bel appears in the doorway of the bathroom.

"You would look funny in a long coat!" He grins, happy with how easily amused I am.

"I look good in anything I wear."

"That was very vain, Bel..." I deadpan.

"Ushi shi shi shi shi~"

"...Hey, Bel?" He hums. "Where is Squalo?" The prince frowns.

"I knew you would ask about the shark captain." I wait for his response, but he doesn't say anything. My eyes drift to the ground. For a moment, I hoped that maybe, just maybe, Squalo was alive. As of now, I really hate sharks. Bel places his hand under my chin and forces me to look at him.

"The shark captain isn't killed so easily." He says. "Don't cry again. Stop thinking about sad things. I'll take you out for sushi." Forcing a smile, I nod. He pats my head quickly and grabs my wrist, dragging me out. We make it to the stairs when I hear a blaring ringing from my room. Pausing, I force Bel to stop moving.

Was that...my alarm clock? I let my mind process it before I slap my hand on my cheek.

"SCHOOL!" Running around frantically, I run into my room, grab my uniform and a towel before rushing into the bathroom. After I shut the door, I quickly take off my clothes. Someone knocks on the door.

"Peasant, why are you running around?"

"I still have to go to school!"

"...Skip it." He says, as if it's that simple.

"I just can't!" Bel doesn't understand, but he shrugs it off.

After taking my shower, I almost fly out of the bathroom and into my room before putting on my uniform. Then I, begrudgingly, put on my committee band.

 _'Annoying Herbivore'_

By the gods, I will never forgive Hibari for doing that to me. Speaking of the cannibal, he's probably at school looking at his watch and smirking, anxious to punish me for being late. I grab some leftovers from the fridge as my lunch. Bel hands me my bag off the coat hanger and grins.

"Have a nice day at school~" he cheekily says. Giggling, I nod. He stops me with his arm before pointing at his cheek.

"Hm?"

"As a good housewife, you should give me a kiss before going to work~" My cheeks taint red and I duck under his arm before running off to school.

"Bye, Bel!" He watches me run down the street and hears me yell.

"Kyoya is gonna kill me!" His grin quickly dips into a frown. Whoever this Kyoya person was, he didn't like him. Abusing you is his job.

* * *

The gates are shut when I reach them. Cursing silently, I throw my bag over and begin climbing.

"Why do I always find you breaking rules, woman?" Looking down, I pale when I spot Hibari staring up at me, arms crossed. Déjà vu! His eyes flit to my cheek and flash with something. He turns around and walks toward the school.

"I'm sorry! I had to get myself patched up and I woke up late and then my fam-"

"Spare your breath. Hurry up. There's a meeting in a few minutes." Hibari enters the building without another word. How strange...no punishment? I jump down and run in to catch up with him.

He was already waiting, as if he knew I would plan on walking with him. We fall in step with each other.

"Woman, does it hurt?" I blink. Hibari was asking me about my health?

"Man, did I hurt _you?_ You being worried about me is out of character." He grabs his tonfas and smacks me on the back of the head, but softly. Another strangely out of character action.

"Answer my question."

"Aish! I'm okay. I got patched up well by my friend," I smile.

"Hm." After that, he remains silent. It isn't the silence that's strange; Hibari is naturally quiet. It's the way he keep glancing at my cheek when he thinks I'm not looking. I decide to say something about it.

"Kyoya, you don't have to be worried about me at all. I've gotten stabbed by Belphegor and Squalo lots of times. I got shot a year ago. This is just a scratch in comparison. It doesn't even hurt! See?" I poke it for emphasis, but wince. He raises an eyebrow.

"Okay, so maybe it still hurts a little!" Hibari smirks and looks straight ahead.

"Idiotic woman."

"That's rude! I'll have you know that I'm only second to last in my class!"

"...That's deplorable. You're on the Disciplinary Committee and you're soiling my name." A tick mark appears on my forehead.

"You're the jerk face that wanted me to be on the stupid committee!" He swings his tonfa and hits me again.

"Your reflexes are getting slower."

"I'm tired, sleepy and injured! Leave me alone!"

"Weren't you the one who said you felt fine?"

"Mmm! Oh, you be quiet!" Hibari opens his mouth to say something, but Kusakabe comes running toward the both of us.

"Cheyenne-san! Are you alright? I haven't seen you in days!" He worriedly asks.

"I'm fine. I just got into a fight." Hibari turns to me. We share a look: Kusakabe doesn't need to know.

"The meeting is starting soon. Hibari? Would you join us?" The prefect nods and opens the door. I didn't even notice we already arrived. Walking in behind him, I look over all the people in the room. Instead of the usual couch and desk in the middle of the room, there is a long table seating around 30 members. This isn't even all of them...

"Woman," Hibari speaks. I jump.

"Yeah?"

"Come sit down."

"Where?" There were a few empty seats.

"Beside me." A couple heads turn, but Hibari doesn't waver. Smiling, I obediently take the chair next to him. Kusakabe stands at the front gathering himself for the presentation. Grabbing a notebook and pen from my bag, I open it to a blank page.

"What are you doing, woman?" Giggling, I send him a teasing look.

"Taking notes, duh!" Another set of heads turn. Hibari smirks. "Shouldn't you be taking notes, too?"

"I don't need to."

"Alright, smartass," I roll my eyes, but keep the same smile on my face. Kusakabe chuckles when he sees the members with perplexed looks.

"Don't call me that, woman." He holds his tonfas up, threatening me. Some members watch anxiously. Hibari doesn't usually let a comment like that slide.

"Calm down. You know I'm kidding." Hibari hesitantly returns his weapons. After a few seconds of silence, I tilt my head in his direction.

"Hey, what's the meeting going to be about, Kyoya?" Now everyone in the meeting room is holding their breath. He never lets anyone call him Kyoya, but he continues as if I never even said it.

"Most likely the amount of people skipping detention. Starting with you," he sneered.

"I'm on the Disciplinary Committee! I should have immunity!" I whine. The members chuckle.

"You don't." He notices Kusakabe sending him a look. "Now be quiet. Kusakabe is starting."

"Okay," I whisper.

* * *

After the long meeting, I went to class. It lasted much longer than we all expected, but that was partly because of how much property damage there was. Lunch started a few minutes ago. And oh, joy, Gokudera is at the door. Smiling, I send him a friendly wave.

"Hayato! Hey! I came to say hi," I say, fingers interlaced. He looks at me, surprised, but his eyes flit around, facing anywhere that isn't me.

"Why?" I frown.

"Because you're my friend? I thought that was obvious!" Gokudera walks toward me.

"You're...not upset?"

"Upset? Why would I be upset?" I shake my head.

"Because I called you a traitor and ignored you an-"

"Don't worry about all of that! I'm not bothered. Your reaction was natural."

"...I'm sorry, Cheyenne-san. I didn't expect you to be part of the Varia." He frowns and rubs his neck.

"I'm sorry, too. For not telling you that." I quickly change the subject to avoid this tense atmosphere. "I just want you to know that even if we're enemies, we're still friends," I giggle. The grey haired teen bursts into laughter and grabs my head, ruffling my hair.

"Idiot! Of course we are!"

"Argh! Let go, you overgrown octopus!" I push him away as he beams at me.

"Do you want to eat lunch with me and the tenth today? I made something good!" Grinning, I nod my head.

"I would like that." We walk out of the class, Gokudera excitedly talking about the coming battle.

"The Tenth will definitely win! I put my full trust in him!"

"No way. Xanxus is gonna win," I haughtily reply.

"I feel like your team is the bad guys, no offense."

"None taken. Truthfully, we are right now." The teen looks down at me.

"Right now?"

"We are a part of the Vongola. We're allies, but Xanxus wants to take his place as the true Vongola Tenth."

"But Juudaime _is_ the Tenth."

"Didn't you hear the Ninth's explanation? He was chosen. By right, Xanxus is the rightful heir to the Vongola title and the only reason he didn't get it is because of the Cradle affair."

"The coup the Varia staged."

"Right. Had he not done that, he would be in Tsuna's place, getting training from Reborn probably and you never would have met him," I giggle. "You would have tried to kill Xanxus instead!" Gokudera turned pale.

"Oh shit..."

"That would have ended badly." We walk outside, probably to meet up with Yamamoto and eat with Tsuna.

"How long have you been Varia?" He wondered.

"Well, I've been there longer than Xanxus has, if you can imagine that."

"That's a long time!"

"My old boss used to be Tyr. It used to be me, Lussuria, Levi and Mammon but Squalo kicked his ass and became the new boss. Then Xanxus came along and took his throne. Bel joined us and is our ace and resident genius."

"That Belphegor guy is a freak!" A shudder racks his body. I laugh.

"He is, isn't he? I love him with all my heart," I say fondly.

"It's weird how you can like those guys. They're so damn loud! And they're freaks! That Squalo guy had a sword for an arm!" I shake my head.

"It's hard to explain why I love them so much, especially Xanxus. But I have my own reasons." Gokudera ruffles my hair again.

"I get it. I feel the same way about the Tenth." We share a smile and continue walking to the diamond where Yamamoto is practicing.

"Takeshi!"

"OI! Baseball nut!" The brunette swings his bat again, hitting the ball and running to first base. He waves at us.

"We're eating lunch with the Tenth!"

"Oh! I forgot!" Gokudera growls and waves his arms at him.

"How could you forget to eat lunch with the Tenth!?" I notice Yamamoto patting a teammate on the back and pointing toward us. He eventually puts away his baseball bat and joins us.

"Ah, sorry guys! I'm kind of stressed over the battle."

"It's okay, Takeshi. I don't blame you. I'm stressed, too," I put on a weak smile.

"How are your injuries?" I touch my cheek.

"Fine now. Bel does good work."

"That guy did that?!" Gokudera is in shock. Yamamoto slaps his back with mirth.

"You didn't ask?"

"I didn't assume that prince freak would be generous enough to help someone!"

"He's good with knives and wires. Stitching people together is the natural order of business for him," I shrug and laugh.

"He's talented. My dad respects him...Oh! Cheyenne, have you been practicing with the Fugu? My old man keeps saying you're better than me at it!" Yamamoto grins.

"That's right! I'm gonna inherit the shop, Takeshi! Watch out!"

"Not gonna happen! I'll start showing up more!"

"Whatever!" Gokudera interrupts. "Let's go eat with the Tenth, damnit! He's waiting!" We follow wordlessly.

Yes. Let's go eat with the Tenth.

* * *

After the long, but admittedly fun, day. I pack my bag and look outside. The sun is going down and the sky is painted orange. It reminds me that winter is quickly coming. Would I be able to spend Christmas with the Varia? Probably not. Sighing, I fiddle with my armband. Gokudera walks up to me.

"Wanna walk home together? Yamamoto has practice and Juudaime has an important training with Reborn," he offers. Shaking my head, I sigh.

"I wanna walk home alone today." Gokudera frowns at my downcast expression. He sighs and tousles my hair affectionately, not commenting on my mood.

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow," he pats my head and walks off. I sling my bag over shoulder.

"Ms. Balotelli? Are you leaving?" The teacher asks.

"Yes."

"Would you please give these to Hibari-san? He asked them to be personally delivered, but I have a family emergency," he almost begs. Although I didn't feel like dealing with Hibari, I put on a smile and grab the stack of papers.

"Of course, sir." He nods.

"Thank you so much! Have a nice evening! Be sure to read chapters 49-52 in your textbook!" The teacher quickly leaves. I look at the stack. They're our mid-semester grades. Grinning, I flip through until I find my name.

 _Balotelli ,  Cheyenne_

 _Maths/Sciences : F_

 _Social Studies : F_

 _Japanese : B+_

 _Foreign Language : B+_

 _Arts : F_

 _Fitness Education : A+_

Not bad! For someone who rarely attends class and has never gotten a proper education, my grades are pretty good! I have to show Hibari the great news! I grab my grades in my left hand and the papers in my right before skipping off to his office.

When I reach the hallway, a member leaves the office. They notice me and nod.

"Ballotelli-san. Are you reporting to Hibari-sama?"

"Yeah! Is he there?"

"Yes. Would you like me to turn in the papers for you?" He offers. Shaking my head, I smile.

"That's okay. I wanted to show him something anyway." The member looks baffled, but shakily nods and goes on his way. I grin and slam the door open. I'm greeted with an angry Hibari, hands interlaced in front of him.

"Kyoya! I've got to show you something!"

"Was it necessary to slam the door open?"

"That's how excited I am-look!" Placing the paper on his desk, I let him look over my grades. He frowns. "Aren't they great?"

"No. You are failing three classes."

"But I have an A plus in Fitness Education!"

"That does not count."

"You don't count!" I cross my arms. He exhales from his nose.

"Go home." Giggling, I hand him the rest of the stack of grades.

"Okay, Kyoya. I'll see you tomorrow morning, okay?" He nods, but before I leave the room, someone knocks on the door. I look back at him and he continues to glare at the door.

"Open it," he says. I unlock the door and one of the pink haired sisters enters.

"Eh? Did something happen?" I ask. Hibari stands up.

"The cloud guardians are expected in the Namimori courtyard within the next ten minutes," she states. Then, just as quickly as she arrived, she leaves. What? What could they possibly want us for?

Could it be because of Gola Mosca interrupting the battle?

"Let's go, woman." Hibari walks out, waiting for me to follow. He frowns.

"Kyoya, what do you think is happening?" He doesn't respond, but I see him touching the tips of his tonfa, a tic I'd seen him do a few times when he was anxious. Whether he's nervous or excited, I don't know.

"I'm tired of these herbivores interrupting my paperwork."

* * *

We arrive to see Tsuna's gang there.

"H-Hibari-san?! Cheyenne-san?!"

"What do you want?" Hibari commands. What is going on? Looking around, I see Bel and the rest of the Varia in the distance. Frowning, I leave Hibari's side to ask Belphegor if he knew what was happening. It's one thing for the Vongola to be here, but the Varia, too?

"Bel? What are you doing here?" He impishly grins.

"It's starting~"

"What?"

"Now that all of the surviving guardians are here, we can commence the battle of the rings." I gulp. So soon? "Can all of the guardians go to their original battlefields?"

"You're making us fight again?!" Gokudera yelled, outraged.

"This is a ring battle for all of the rings, so yes." He growls, but starts walking to the upstairs hallway. Bel starts walking off, but turns around to place a hand on my head.

"Don't lose this time, peasant. Ushi shi shi~"

"I won't! And you can't lose either!" He punches my injured cheek, making me squeak.

"Do you really think there's a possibility?"

"Mmm. I don't know..." I grin cheekily. Bel let's go.

"Bye, peasant." He follows Gokudera, who yells at him to go away. Everyone else goes to their designated spots, except for me and Hibari. I wanted to see if Squalo would show up.

 _"The shark captain isn't killed so easily."_

"What are you waiting for? Let's go." Jumping, I sadly nod and go with him.

* * *

It was just us now. No spectators. No referees. It feels a lot less like a battle and more of a scuffle. Hibari kept staring at his watch as if it's going to burn him. I yawn and cross my legs, getting comfortable on the ground.

"Woman, this is a battle. Now isn't the time to lounge so casually."

"I know, but it's just you and me. I feel more relaxed," I answer honestly. He smirks and walks closer to me.

"So you're saying you fee-" he doesn't finish his sentence, doubling over and clenching his arm. I quickly stand up and run over to see what's wrong. He's groaning and writhing in pain. Why wasn't I affected? Did the Varia sabotage our opponents?

I hear the sisters talking through the loud speaker.

"A poison has been injected into the systems of every guardian. Their goal is to grab the rings on the pedestal, that is, if they can. If the rings are not all collected, they will die of poisoning."

I look down at Hibari, who is still suffering.

Growling, I yell, "THIS IS FUCKING TWISTED!" Hibari looks up at me, angry, but with not enough energy to retaliate. And why, of all people, am I not affected by the poison? Did the Varia cheat? I turn to my watch and no, everyone else is in just as much pain as Hibari.

"I don't get it..." Hibari tries to pull his tonfas out to attack me, but I just push them back. He weakly glares. Shaking my head, I tell him, "I'm not fighting you like this, Kyoya. I have to find a way to help you and everyone else."

And fast.

"..." He weakly places his hands on the ground and tries getting up, only to fall back down.

"Kyoya..." It pains me to see him like this. Getting up, I look at the pole holding the cloud ring. There's only one way I know how to help him and I know Xanxus is going to kick my ass to Italy and back, but I don't care. I grab one of his tonfas.

"Do you mind if I borrow this?" He glares in response. Positioning it along the groove of my arm like he does, I wind back my swing and hit the pole with as much power as I can muster. It dents it. Grinning, I'm proud that my method is working. I do that a few more times until the pole toppled over and the ring falls.

I hold it in my finger tips for a moment. What would be the point of me having it? It doesn't help me at all. At the end of the day, I'm not the best fit for the title of 'cloud guardian' anyway. Jogging back over to Hibari, I hold his wrist and slide the ring into his watch. In an instant, he pants with relief as sweat pours down his face.

The brunette lies on the ground for a minute before sitting up and staring at me.

"Why? The point of the battle is to win, not help each other. I don't need your pity, woman," he frowns, but doesn't move to hurt me.

"I can't stand seeing you like that. I still remember in Kokuyo high I couldn't help you. I felt useless. I'm tired of feeling useless, so suck it up and accept my help!" My words got louder as I finished my sentence. It's the truth, at least. Hibari watches me like a hawk.

"Hm." He finally smirks. "Well, then let's go, loser." After standing up, he grabs my arm and pulls me up. "It's time to get the rest of the rings." He drags me behind him, but I quickly stop.

"Kyoya! You know I can't help the Vongola! We're supposed to be enemies!"

"Who said I wanted your help? I'm taking you hostage, since I won the battle," he urges me forward. The smug look on his face tells me he has a plan. I nod and follow. We walk to the hallways, which happen to be closest to us.

A large pole made a hole in the side of the building, revealing Gokudera lying inside. What about Bel? I panic and look around for the prince, but I don't see him anywhere. Hibari lets go of me, presumably to go searching for the ring.

"...ring~" I hear a whisper somewhere close and I run to it. It's Bel!

"Bel! You got the ring? You're amazing!"

"Ushi shi shi shi shi~ Well, I'm the prince, after all." Smiling, I go to inspect if he has any injures when Hibari appears out of nowhere and kicks the ring out of his watch. Bel stares at his now empty watch, then turns his head to Hibari.

"Wow~" He stands up and pulls me behind him, an arm blocking me from moving. Hibari glares and pulls out his tonfas. "That's surprising. How are you moving?" The cloud guardian smirks and twists his wrist for Belphegor to see.

"I have the ring." Bel doesn't question it, but he pulls out a knife. I gulp. The other times they fought didn't come close. Now it would be a true test of who is stronger.

"I've heard you're a genius. I want to see if that's true."

"Shi shi shi. Don't ask me something we all know. Of course I'm a genius-!" He throws a knife at Hibari, who dodges. It turns around and almost hits him in the back, but he blocks it with a tonfa. My eyes widen. No one can block Bel's knives!

"You know my tricks. Ushi~ Let's see how long you can last."

"Then let's start, Mr. Genius." Hibari prepares for his opponent to attack first. Bel forms his hand in a 'T' shape, signaling a time out. He turns to me.

"I think you should make like a princess and go to another castle," Bel jokes. He's right, this is getting serious. I grab his shoulder.

"Do your best." He grins.

"What do expect from a prince? Ushi shi shi shi shi~" Running off, I leave them to battle. Bel and Hibari, whoever wins, can take care of themselves. They're both the most hardheaded people I know.

I would help Mammon next. He's the closest.

* * *

 **If there are any errors, PM me and I will rectify them as soon as I can! If you have any character/episode/plot you want me to write about, tell me and I might include it! Please leave a review! I love reading them!**


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 : The Battle of the Rings II**

* * *

The door to the gym was wide open and the area was eerily silent. There was rubble on the ground and a huge hole in the ceiling. I peek my head inside and instantly notice Mammon on the ground. A ways away from him, there's a girl lying down who's hair reminds me of someone... Mukuro?! Biting my lip, I urge my eyes away and jog to Mammon who is laboriously breathing and shivering in pain.

"Cheyenne..." the Arcobaleno wiggles his fingers.

"Mammon! Don't worry. I'll grab the ring for you, okay?" I get away from him and look at the ring on the pole above. "Ugh! Another pole?! I don't have Kyoya's tonfas this time." Whipping around, I search for a rock or object I could possibly use to knock the pole down. Then, I notice that the girl is clutching a big trident. Isn't that Mukuro's trident? Regardless, I shake the thought away and grab it from her clutch, which causes her to gasp.

"Mukuro-sama-!" The trident burns in my hands, making me drop it in a hurry. I take a look at my stinging hands and curse. What was that? Did the trident just reject me?! My eyes wander to the girl on the floor. Who is she? Just where did she come from? And why is she a Vongola guardian?

"Cheyenne...the ring," Mammon wheezes from behind me. I sigh and grab the trident again despite the burn and strike the pole. It shatters like a piece of glass and I close my eyes on instinct. When I open my eyes, everything is dark. Shadows dance on the edges of my vision and flecks of light bounce into view.

My head begins to pound like a jackhammer. A peculiar chuckle resounds in the air, but it sounds almost muffled.

"Kufufufu. Cheyenne." The voice sends a chill of anger up my spine. I turn around in every direction, but all I see is darkness. My movement is also limited and slow, as if I was in water. "It's no use. You're like a sakura petal; at the mercy of the wind that is me." A cold hand touches my jugular and for a moment it felt as if I was choking, but it could have been the fear I felt. "This is called sensory deprivation, perhaps the most potent illusion. Are you afraid, Cheyenne?"

"Mukuro Rokudo." Bubbles come from my lips. How? How was I under water?

"You remembered me finally?" The way he phrased that...

"Finally?" I tentatively questioned. A silhouette materializes before me. Mukuro's eyes seem to be glowing in the surrounding darkness as they distort like waves in water. His smile is soft, but still holds that peculiar terrifying characteristic he has.

"That's right. You know, I was so upset when I found you with Kyoya. And I was even more hurt when you didn't seem to recognize me."

"What?! What are you talking about?! How are you even here?! The Vendice took you away!" My voice was demanding as my facade began to waver. Perhaps the darkness was getting to me, but I suddenly felt so afraid. This water felt so suffocating despite the fact I could still breath.

"How sad. Despite having all of your memories erased, you still have trauma from the facility." He chuckles again and stares me straight in my eyes, red eye shifting. "I'll make you remember."

* * *

Hibari quickly attacks Bel with his tonfas, not giving him an opening to fight back. The prince giggles and blocks his attacks with his forearm until Hibari lands a hit on his cheek.

"Your reflexes are slow. All of you herbivores are more bark than bite." He presses forward and lunges another attack on Bel, who barely jumps away. "Is this the famiglia the woman has been so eager to see?"

"Just who are you, filthy peasant?" Belphegor grins, but grinds his teeth. Hibari gets into a battle stance and smirks.

"No one you need to worry yourself over, Herbivore." At this cocky comment, Bel chucks a few knives at Hibari and jumps away from him as he deflects them.

"Stay away from my peasant-" he sends some exceptionally fast knives, which Hibari barely dodges.

"She doesn't belong to you." That sends Belphegor over the edge as he aggressively begins throwing knives, not even giving Hibari a chance to avoid them.

"She is mine!" There's a wicked expression on Belphegor's face as Hibari backs up, narrowing his eyes.

"You sound like a child who wants a toy they can't have."

"I'll make you bathe in your own, disgusting blood. I despise smart-mouthed peasants like you." He grabs a few knives, making them levitate before sending them at Hibari. A wire knicks his cheek. Kyoya's eyes widen marginally. How did he manage that?

"You can't avoid my wires~ Ushi shi shi shi shi~" Hibari hunches over. Bel revels in his defeat. "I wanted to play with you longer, but you've _really_ made me angry. The prince has little patience." He gathers his hands together and separates them. A line of knives appear between his fingers and he throws them at the trapped Hibari. The prefect bides his time...and catches them between his fingers.

"Hm? So this is your strategy," Hibari muses to himself. Razor wires. "What a clever circus act." Belphegor's blood boils at that, but he decides that he must end this quickly and begins his orchestra of knives. Hundreds of knives surround him.

"No one has ever survived this. So, die." Hibari's tonfa opens and a swinging object pops out just before Bel's knives land. He begins swinging it and blocks all of Bel's knives effectively. Bel giggles.

"I know all your tricks now, Herbivore."

"Ushi~ I could take this seriously and fight you, but I have rings to collect. Bye bye~" Bel scampers off as Hibari picks up a knife.

"All bark." He looks toward the sky; Tsuna and Xanxus are fighting there, but he's not particularly interested in that.

"Where did that woman go?"

* * *

 _A tap on the glass woke me up. I jumped and put my hands on the cold glass._

 _"Cheyenne. Are you awake?" It's a guy! I tried to cover my lady parts. He just looked at me. "Come along. You and Mukuro will be together in testing today." I really tried to hide how excited I was Mukuro? The red, slimy liquid went down and I fell onto the floor. He picked me up and gave me a white dress. It felt so sticky on my skin. I didn't like how it almost didn't cover me. I waited for him._

 _He nodded and grabbed my pudgy hand. I didn't want to touch him. The scientists here were so icky. I didn't like it when they touched me._

 _We walked down the hallways of the lab. Everything was so white and scary. I saw Ken in one of the rooms with a scientist and waved at him. Ken was mad at something and he had scratches on his face. He looked at me and stood up in a hurry. The scientist next to him was quick to press a button and shock him with his shock collar. I gasped and the male scientist pushed me along. Why were they so mean to Ken? He was so nice and happy. Poor Ken._

 _I frowned and wiped the tears off my cheeks. I wanted to leave here so badly. I wanted to take Ken and Chiki with me, too._

 _ **"I promise when I leave that I'll come get you. Cheyenne, I promise."**_

 _Mu-kun's words popped into my head, making me feel better. How long? How long did I have to wait? I was getting so scared here every day._

 _"Mu-kun!" I saw his weird hair and tackled him in a hug. He was sitting in the chair._

 _"I missed you, too, Cheyenne." He hugged me really tightly and laughed. The scientist took me off him and I almost cried again. He sat me on his lap and I bit my lip. I didn't like it. It doesn't feel good. I want to be far away from him._

 _"Mukuro, I want you to poison Cheyenne with your powers." He said that with a serious voice. I started shaking. Even Mu-kun was nervous._

 _"Please no!" I start crying and I jumped off the scientist's lap. Mukuro, tried to hold my hand, but the man grabbed me again and squeezed my arm._

 _"If you don't cooperate, I'll punish you." He looked me straight in the eyes. I hiccuped and told him okay. I was afraid. Mu-kun smiled at me. He looked so sad. His eyes changed and he stared straight at me. I closed my eyes and grabbed my dress really hard. A long time passed by._

 _Mu-kun said, "I did it." The scientist looked at me. I stopped crying. What happened? He seemed so amazed._

 _"Nothing happened..." my friend smiled and was happy._

 _"How spectacular! Cheyenne! You're indestructible!" The scientist ran out of the room and locked the door._

 _"Mu-kun! I'm okay! Look! Isn't that cool?!" He walked to me and gave me a hug._

 _"I'm going to help you escape, Cheyenne. I don't want anything... happen..._ _you... I... this... ti..."_

 _"-nne!" I blink really fast. Mu-kun was turning invisible._

 _"-eyenne!" What? Who's that?_

 _"Cheyenne!" Mu-kun frowned with a sad face._

 _"Bye, Cheyenne."_

"Peasant!"

"Mu-kun?"My eyes blink rapidly and suddenly I was aware of my surroundings again. Mukuro is in front of me, but it was a mere static in comparison to how real he felt moments again. He smiles with a tender look in his eyes.

"Have you remembered now?" I can't believe it. Are those memories? Or are they an illusion? But it felt so real... Was I really in that facility? It seemed right with Mukuro and Ken.

"I-"

"Cheyenne!" I could hear Gokudera and Yamamoto's voices outside. Mukuro smirks and looks at the door.

"I guess I will have to talk to you another time when-"

"How soon?" I interrupt him. He seems particularly fond of me all of the sudden.

"You haven't changed. Still so impatient," he chuckles. "I will find you. I promise you, Cheyenne." I shudder and he disappears, as if he wasn't there to begin with. I collapse on the ground, the illusion and memories having taken a toll on my body and mind. The ring is in my hand.

 _"Damn it, Cheyenne!"_

 _"Herbivores, move yourselves from the door."_

 _"Nothing is working, Gokudera!"_

 _"I know that, Yamamoto!"_

 _"Good for nothing peasants."_

 _"I can open this door with my extreme punch!"_

I hear their voices outside. Mammon is on the ground. Checking the time, I notice only five minutes have elapsed since. I force myself up and walk over to Chrome and smile.

 _"Cheyenne! Oi! Damn what's wrong with this door! My explosives don't work!"_

 _"It's an illusion battle, peasant."_

"Cheyenne? What are you doing, idiot?" She moans and opens her eyes. A gasp escapes her lips.

"Y-you're...Cheyenne-san..." I smile at Mukuro's look alike and finally walk over to Mammon and place the ring in his watch, releasing the antidote. Although these new memories sparked a peculiar fondness with Chrome, my family and this ring battle come first. He sighs as I hold the ring. Mammon sends me a look that tells me everything I need to know. I understand my behavior just now is suspicious, but at this point, it seems as if the world is testing everything I've ever known and believed in.

The doors slam open and Hibari barges in, tonfas in hand as he spots me and his eyes flicker with something unintelligible. He stands up straight and exhales before Belphegor dashes to my side. I expect him to ask for the ring in my hand, but he engulfs me in a hug instead. My face turns red, not expecting the sudden display of affection. He separates from me and grabs the ring with a grin. Mammon hovers over my shoulder as Bel hooks an arm around my waist.

"Give us the rings and your friend can have the antidote." I hadn't even noticed, but Mammon had Chrome dangling from an illusory rope.

"Damn you, Knife Freak!" Gokudera growls and clenches his fist. I'm unsure of what to do in this situation. Again, I feel so useless. The battle is practically over. They have all the rings and we have one.

"Give up. This is a losing battle!" Yamamoto looks at us three with worry, but he is talking to me with his eyes, signaling me to stop them.

"I would like to see what battle comes from this," Hibari smirks.

"Me too! This is going to be extreme!"

"Maybe we should stop." My voice makes Mammon frown. Bel's expression makes my chest tighten: he seems so full of pride, but he knows this is a losing battle.

"No. We won't. I don't lose." I smile at him with pity.

"You have too much pride, Belphegor," Yamamoto cuts in. "Let's stop this before anyone else gets hurt."

"Hoh? I'd like to see him try. He could barely touch me earlier. Only when I mentioned-" a knife lodged itself in the wall behind Hibari's head. I pale. Would he have not dodged... I can only imagine.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ Who's all bark now, filthy peasant? The prince accepts your challenge." I frown and look between us.

Maybe...I can do something to get the rings back. Hibari suddenly lunges at Belphegor as Gokudera shoots explosives in our direction. Not going easy, are they? It seems that right now, it's not just a battle for Chrome Dokuro.

* * *

We start to slow down in our movements. I haven't really attacked anyone, just assisted Bel or Mammon when they needed it. That same sense of uselessness envelops me again. I can't sit here like a goldfish in a bowl! I'm _Varia_ damnit! I look around my surroundings. The ceiling is crumbling. Maybe that can work again? I move away from Belphegor's side and dodge another explosive.

Wait. Explosives!

"Bakadera!"

"Oi! Cheyenne! Now's not the time!" He growls and gets distracted for a moment as Mammon sends a fire ablaze near his feet. Yamamoto jumps and slices toward Mammon, who easily puts up a wall. Hibari frowns, seeing me under a particularly dangerous part of the ceiling.

"Woman, move." He turns his eyes back to block Belphegor's attack. Bel eyes me suspiciously before he grins and begins moving the battle toward me. Gokudera notices this and throws a bomb in my direction to block Bel from coming any closer. Bingo. The bomb explodes mid air and the ceiling crumbles as I run away. Hibari's dodges and bumps into me. In his moment of surprise, I sneakily and quickly swipe his ring and stuff it in my bra. Bel continues his onslaught of attacks.

Ryohei screams, "CHEYENNE! HIBARI! ARE YOU OKAY?!" I run off toward Ryohei who is taking turns watching Chrome and helping Yamamoto with Mammon. Gokudera sends another bomb at Belphegor.

"Oi! I'm running out of bombs!" Ryohei turns his head for a moment to reply to Gokudera and in that instant, I swipe his ring and hide it.

"Save them, Gokudera! We need them!" Mammon sends up a wall of fire, blocking Ryohei from Gokudera. I run into the fire to him.

"Mammon, distract Yamamoto." The Arcobaleno is unsure what I'm planning, but does what I say. He uses a particularly strong illusion and makes Yamamoto dizzy. He falls over and grabs a rock. I see Gokudera rush over to him. Damn. That was not planned.

"Yamamoto!"

"I'm fine!" He insists and tries to get up.

"Takeshi!" I yell toward him in concern. I didn't mean for him to get so hurt, but this will work. Gokudera grabs another bomb and chucks it at Mammon, who places yet another wall in front of him, making the bomb explode the rubble. A thick smoke engulfs the area and I take the chance to run over and take Yamamoto's ring, who is still struggling to stand.

"Gokudera, watch out! I can't see!" Yamamoto warns him, coughing and fanning the air in front of him. Taking Gokudera's ring could be more complex; he's sensitive to sounds and sensations. Plus, he has Lambo's ring as well. I couldn't be too suspicious.

"I know!" He sends a bomb flying and it explodes right in front of us. I yelp, feeling the brunt of the blast.

"Cheyenne?!" The smoke clears and I can feel blood pouring from the wounds I had received early in the week from the cloud ring battle. The blast opened my wounds. I gasp in pain. Gokudera rushes toward me with concern as Mammon stops his illusion and Yamamoto gets up. The two return to battle as Ryohei begins helping. The storm guardian kneels in front of me, but before he can touch me, a knife- a Belphegor certified knife, to be exact -lodges itself in his arm.

 _"Pain overrides any other sensation. Remember that when you're battling. It can help or hurt you."_

Squalo's voice echoes in my head. I grab Gokudera's ring and the lightning ring from his pinky as he winces and checks his wound.

"Damnit!" Standing up, with all the rings on my person, I begin running to the exit of the gym.

"Cheyenne?! Where are you going?!" Gokudera asks without taking his eyes off the wound.

"I'm not made for this. I can't even get one ring," I complain as I walk out of the gym. Belphegor smirks with pride as Hibari attacks him. Unbeknownst to them, I not only have one ring, I have all of them.

"Why do you look so smug? These are battles you won't win."

"Don't underestimate me. A prince never loses." They share a silent moment of determination.

* * *

I appear on the roof where the sky battle is taking place. All the rings are in my hand and I notice that Xanxus has the sky ring with him as well. However, seeing him so beaten and bruised makes me angry. Our leader, why is he losing? Is Tsuna really so strong? The rest of the Varia join me on the roof momentarily.

"How sneaky of you, peasant. The boss will be so proud. Ushi shi~" I hand Mammon the rings. Tsuna looks shocked, to say the least.

"The rings-!"

"That's right~ Only a true heir can be the Vongola X, not some random kid." Belphegor walks over to Xanxus. The boss has a wicked look in his eyes.

"The rings. Yes! Put them on me!" Mammon begins putting the rings in their rightful place on Xanxus's necklace. Flurries of footsteps come onto the roof.

"Juudaime!"

"Tsuna!"

"Sawada!"

"Boss!"

I notice: Hibari is not there. Where did he go? I have little time to think of that as a bright light shoots into the sky and Xanxus laughs maniacally. I grow worried. What have I done? What if Xanxus tries to kill Tsuna and his family with this new power?

 _"I admire his resolve. He has that anger inside him that makes him able to do anything. That's why I follow him."_

 _"Yeah? What else do you like about him, Squallo-nii?"_

 _"Nothing else really. But, we're a family now. Even if we hate his guts, he's still Varia."_

"Xanxus-sama!" I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice Xanxus had hunched over in pain. We rush over instantly.

"Boss! What's wrong?" Belphegor shakes Xanxus, who is completely immobilized. I can hear Tsuna mumble from where I stood.

"Boss! The rings! Did we put them in right?"

"They rejected Xanxus..." My eyes widen. Can that really happen? Is Xanxus not fit to be a Vongola boss? Is that why? I frown and watch Mammon and Belphegor panic. But why...? He is the only heir! Wouldn't that mean they'll reject Tsuna, too?

"What do you mean, 'they rejected him'?" Mammon asks Tsuna. Xanxus stands up.

"That's right. The ninth and I, we aren't family!" Everyone is shocked at this. I blink. How can that be?! There's a static in the air before a voice rings clearly.

"I know the betrayal you felt. I know it." A shiver runs down my spine. That voice sounded so much like Squalo. I think I'm starting to hear things.

"So you lived, trash shark." I gasp, tears rubbing down my face. Squalo...is alive?! Belphegor wraps an arm around my shoulder. We share a look and he returns to Xanxus's side.

"The shark captain doesn't die so easily..." I mumble to myself.

"I know all of it, Xanxus." I listen carefully as Squalo begins recounting the story of Xanxus's childhood as said man sat, petrified of the truth. Xanxus's resolve to become the ninth was admirable despite knowing that he had no chance all along. Suddenly, the crib affair makes so much sense to me. If he knew he couldn't become boss by blood, he had to do it by force. I turn to Xanxus, who looks angry and humiliated all at once.

"Xanxus..."

"I'll become boss by force! With or without the rings!"

"I agree, Boss. Let's do it. Shi shi shi~" Bel, Mammon and I surround him as the Vongola kids try to attack us. Even Hibari shows up despite all of his injuries. I look at him with worry, noticing how he is barely standing and beaten and bruised with cuts littering his body.

I shake the thought from my mind. Now is not the time to be thinking about him. I have to defend the Varia pride.

"It's 3 against 5! Give it up!"

"That's what you think. Shi~"

"A squad of 50 Varia elite is coming to take care of everything involved in this incident." I frown, not being aware of this part of the plan. Of course Xanxus wouldn't play fair.

As if on cue, a few members appear on the rooftop behind the Vongola kids. This is serious. How did the Varia plan so far ahead? Did Xanxus know this was going to happen? Everyone is frozen in shock when a loud 'thud' shakes the ground.

The Varia members are suddenly knocked unconscious as I see a man I've never seen before.

"Lancia!" Wait. The Lancia? The Vongola corner us and step forward. Tsuna is being guarded by his guardians. Despite how weak and tired they are, they seem so determined to win. This...this is the true Vongola. The Varia is an assassination squad, not the future Vongola family.

"We won't give up!" Gokudera says as he surrounds us. I look to Bel who is contemplating. He sighs and drops his knives, hands up.

"I guess this is the end." My eyes widen in shock. Mammon looks just as defeated. I can't believe it.

 _We lost._

* * *

Bel grabs the unconscious Xanxus and puts him on the gurney that the medical squad has prepared for the injured parties. Lussuria and Levi are there too. They argue and bicker amongst themselves.

I frown and look at the ground. All of this effort, gone to waste. What will happen to me now? Can I return home? Now that the Varia know I'm here, will they take me with them back to Italy?

...Do I want to return home?

I bang my head with my hand. Stupid! Or course I do! Why am I doubting myself? Nothing is keeping me here. A hand stops me from abusing my head again.

"Stop that." The deep voice before me is coming from Hibari. I flinch and look into his onyx eyes. Now that I see him up close, I can see all his injuries clearly. However, his eyes still have that same sparkle of determination. I admire that. Hibari is a strong person.

Blushing, I yank my hand away from him. What am I thinking? What's wrong with me? He frowns and narrows his eyes. I look at my hands, feeling them shake.

"Hn. Rest well, woman. I expect to see you early tomorrow."

"What? Why?" My mouth is agape. His eyes glint with something peculiar.

"Committee duty." Hibari smirks and walks away. I sigh, knowing he's planning to cause me mental and physical exhaustion. Yawning, I watch him walk away before sitting on the concrete. The wind blows on my hair.

Finally, after tireless days of torture, I can rest.


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 : Finding Torment in a Blanket of Comfort**

* * *

Moonlight blankets the wet streets of Namimori. The night is dark and the broken streetlights on this street don't exactly help. However, there's a comforting, warm drizzle coming down. In a sense, it's a way of cleansing the world and showing us that it's over and we can start a new chapter. The walk home is rather quiet; the only noise is the occasional squeak from Squalo's chair and shifting from said captain. He's strangely tired and the mood is heavy.

I'm wondering now that I have my thoughts to myself: what am I going to do about Mukuro? Where does that fit in my jigsaw puzzle? From what I can remember, I lived with my mom until I was taken in by Squalo and the Varia elite. The Estraneo family experiments have nothing to do with me...

"VOI! You're moving my chair too damn slow!" Although I'm relieved he's back- more than just relieved, I'm overjoyed -he's more loud than when he's in good condition.

"Squalo, you're being really loud." He glares back at me.

"When have you ever complained about that?! These Vongola kids have made you soft!" Pouting I tip his chair back, putting him off balance. He flails for a moment before angrily shaking the chair. I laugh loudly and run while pushing him.

"Is this fast enough for you?!"

"VOIIIIIIII! THAT'S A HILL!" When we start going down the hill, I have to run faster just to keep up. We eventually slow down and I try to keep my giggling to a minimum.

"Who's soft?"

"Don't play around with me brat!" He turns around in his seat and grabs the front of my shirt. I simply smile and continue pushing him. Squalo scoffs and sits back in his seat. A long silence follows, as if he's thinking of something.

"These Vongola are weak, so why did you change so much?"

"I changed?" I wonder to myself. He's already said that. Even Belphegor told me I was different. He huffs.

"2 years ago, you would cry if I was mean to you. Now I fuckin' yell at you and you don't even flinch! If anything I expected you to be more weak! Was it the baby?!" He yells as a figurative lightbulb appears above his head. I shake my head as we turn to corner and go into the gate of my home.

"I'm not sure, Squalo," I answer mindlessly as I unlock the door and push him in. Flicking on the light, I inhale and smile. Finally home. He slowly stands from his chair and I help him into the recliner before flicking to a random channel. The kitchen is in disarray from this morning. Deciding to organize it before the rest of the Varia arrive, I shuffle to the supply closet and grab a broom.

"Do you like it?" He looks up at me once he's comfortable.

"Like what?"

"This here. The school. The Vongola brats. The freedom." That word in particular strikes me. He seems venomous as he says it. It feels as if he knows something I don't.

"Well, it's different from the Varia mansion," I shrug.

"You've never had a lot of freedom." I stop my sweeping abruptly. Squalo is staring at the television with contempt. "And now Reborn and Viper want to keep you here." My eyebrows furrow and watch his movements carefully.

"How? How did you know that?" He scoffs and turns to me.

"I always fuckin' knew. Who the fuck booked the plane for you? Why was the Bronco on the same plane as you?! Why did that Arcobaleno come with you?! That shit was planned! Why did you think I didn't want you to be a member of the Varia?! I wanted to train you more! I knew you weren't prepared for the Vongola mafia bullshit! I wanted you to be able to protect yourself!" His teeth grind together as he clutches the armrests.

"But Reborn said-"

"Forget what he fuckin' said!"

"Squalo..." He sighs. I can feel his frustration from where I'm standing.

"I wanted to keep you in the Varia mansion so you could be far away from the Vongola kids and the future tenth. I knew nothing good would come from it! But then I had no choice. I had to send you with Reborn and the brats." I stomp over to him and frown.

"What are you talking about?! I already knew about the Vongola ring battle! In fact you were the one that told me!" My head is pounding and I can feel a fresh set of tears forming. How come I'm always left in the dark? Am I too stupid to know? I feel like a rag doll. I'm just tossed around wherever they see fit!

"I didn't know you would meet Mukuro!" He glares up at me through clenched teeth. A shiver goes down my arms as the goosebumps raise instantly. My whole body feels cold just hearing that name.

"Who is Mukuro?"

"Don't fuckin' lie! I know when you're lying!" I swallow. "You saw him! He told you about the Estraneo experiments! He told you about your abilities!" Sighing, I shift my gaze elsewhere. However curious I was about my past, I didn't think I would have to find out like this. Especially not from someone I trust so much. That thought makes my stomach churn.

"Why didn't you tell me? I was so scared. I was so alone..." I can't help myself as the first tear comes down. "I missed the Varia every day! And I couldn't tell anyone how I felt because no one knew! I had to keep that bottled inside for two years! And-and just when I thought everything was going to go back to normal I meet Mukuro!" Squalo closes his eyes and frowns.

"Cheyenne. I'm not one for this sappy shit... but I've tried to protect you from all this bullshit. It's enough you had to grow up in that facility with all that underground shit going on." He uses a more calm voice as I wipe my tears. No more crying. Cheyenne, you can't be a weakling. You're Varia. Varia.

"That Arcobaleno, Verde, wanted to experiment on you because of your abilities. He thinks you can get rid of the Arcobaleno curse." My eyes widen. "He knew you were Varia, that's why I sent you over here. He wouldn't look in Namimori," he explains. "I wasn't expecting the ring battle to awaken your powers. I wasn't expecting you to meet Mukuro."

"But why does this matter?! Aside from protecting me from Verde... My powers and my past don't matter, right?" He shakes his head.

"You don't fuckin' get it. The Estraneo family was trying to make super weapons. You and Mukuro and some other kids ran away and rest of that place was destroyed. Do you know what the Vongola ninth found in your case file?" I shake my head. Truthfully, I was always aware of the Estraneo family's illegal business, but never the details of went on. The Varia always tip-toed around the topic.

Now it seems to make so much sense.

"You were a success." He looks into my eyes seriously. My hands start shaking.

"What does that mean? What is a success?"

"You're a fuckin' super weapon, Cheyenne! That's what that fuckin' means! You have so much power and you don't even know it! Who knows when you could start using them and blow up- shit I don't even know what you could do! That's why you're in the Varia! It's the only place you'll be safe from the Vendice and power hungry mafiosos." He runs a hand through his hair and turns the tv off.

"I can't believe this."

"The Vongola's best kept secret..." he closes his eyes and scoffs. "What a fuckin' secret."

"Well...what am I going to do?" I look to him.

"I don't fuckin' know!" He throws his arms up only to quickly put them back down from the pain. "You can't go back to Italy. You're better off here with the Vongola kids and Reborn." I bite my lip. "And whatever brat your hanging out with is doing you some good, kid. You're getting stronger." I can't tell if he's complimenting me, but it makes me happy to know that he thinks I've made progress. Maybe someday I could be worthy of being a high ranking Varia officer.

"Thanks."

"You should do some training. You're ready for it."

"What?!" Is he serious?! I'm too weak! I'd get beat up! All I can do is run and sneak around!

"You're a Varia member, brat! Start acting like it!"

"Well..." I sigh, trying to get my mind off the topic. "What about you?" I sit down on the armrest next to him. "Are you going to help?" He laughs loudly.

"Help? How the fuck can I help? I can't do anything like this!" Does that mean he's leaving? Now more than ever I look like a lost puppy.

"I don't want to be alone again, Squalo. Please..." my voice shakes. "Especially not now." He sighs and pats my head.

"I can't stay with you, kid. I have an obligation to the Varia and Xanxus." That disappoints me. Despite I know it being true, I can't help feeling a little selfish. "Levi sure as shit won't stay and Lussuria has been training the new officers in hand-to-hand combat. And Mammon staying in Namimori would tip off Verde and possibly other mafiosos." I sit up straight.

"So...?"

"If you really don't want to be alone, I guess I can assign that brat Belphegor to you." My face erupts into pure joy.

"Bel is going to stay with me?!"

"How the fuck are you excited about that?!" He flails, his hatred toward Bel showing. I throw myself into his chest and squeeze him in a hug. Squalo hisses and flinches in pain, but doesn't say anything. He lies his palm flat on my head and looks at me.

"You're gonna be fine, kid. I know you will."

* * *

"Bye bye, Che-chan! I'll miss you! Please make sure Bel doesn't get into much trouble!" Lussuria is rolled out of the doorway first since he occupies so much space.

"I don't need a babysitter." I smile and rub Bel's arm. He grins and revels in the contact.

"I'll miss you guys. Promise to call me?" My voice is full of hope. Levi looks toward the street to make sure no one has spotted them.

"Of course! I'll miss my beautiful princess!" Lussuria whines, tears pouring down his cheeks.

"VOIIIII! HURRY UP! OUR PLANE IS GONNA LEAVE YOU FUCKING SLO-" Xanxus glares at him and chucks a glass at his head.

"Shut up, shark trash! You're going to get us caught!" Levi grunts an agreement. I smile somberly; they're leaving too soon. Mammon sits himself on my shoulder gently.

"Stay safe, Cheyenne." Pulling the Arcobaleno toward me, I kiss his little cheek and bring him into my chest.

"Muu." Bel giggles and Squalo smirks in my direction.

"You better answer my phone calls, brats!"

"No way~ Hmmm. Maybe I'll leave you on hold with some elevator music? Ushi shi shi shi~"

"VOIIIIII! SAY THAT AGAIN YOU PRINCE BRAT!" Mammon leaves my grip and floats toward Squalo. Levi looks at his watch.

"Boss," he addresses Xanxus. Said boss nods and smirks.

"Stop the sappy shit, trash. Let's go." Squalo gets wheeled away from the doorway but sends me and Bel another glance. His expression has a strange tenderness I've never seen from him.

"Bye, everyone! I'll miss you all! Please be-" my voice cracks as my throats tightens. "Please be safe!"

"Of course, Che-chan!" Lussuria wails out. A limo pulls into the street. I don't want them to leave, but I know they can't stay either. It was a nice escape from reality. It's crazy how much you miss something when you're without it for so long. I wave at them until the limo drives off. And even then I can't believe that I won't see them anymore.

I choke on a sob. Bel's smile falters slightly. Hiding how I truly feel, I turn to the prince with a grin. He pinches my cheek.

"Don't cry. The prince is here now. Let's go eat and go to sleep." We step back into the house and I lock the door before taking a big, shaky breath. Bel has a hand on his hip and the other one is outstretched. My head tilts.

"W-what's wrong, Bel?" He opens both of his arms and my cheeks hurt from smiling as soon as I understand what he's doing. I let him wrap his arms around my back tightly.

"Look at my precious peasant. So sad. Don't cry anymore. You should smile in my presence. It suits you more than this ugly frown," he teases as he pokes my cheek.

"Yes, prince~"

"I'm not going to leave you like any other peasant would. The prince is here to stay. Ushi shi shi~" Sighing, I grip the back of his Varia jacket. He smells like smoke and blood and a hint of cologne. His thin fingers tangle in my hair and comfort me. The rain outside calms me. How can someone so bloodthirsty give me so much comfort? I laugh the thought off.

"I'm so happy you're here with me, Bel," I tell him honestly. "I love you." He stiffens instantly. His hands that were in my hair quickly stop. Bel rests his hands on my shoulders and pushes me away from him gently. I look at him, noticing his red cheeks and anxious smile. "Bel?"

"Is that so?" I grin.

"Of course!" For a moment, he hesitates. Once he breaks from his stupor, he quickly pecks my forehead. It was so quick in fact, that I don't even know if it really happened. I blink, confused. He grins again and flicks my forehead.

"Ushi shi shi shi~ Come here~" Dragging me back toward him, he throws me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Ah! Bel! What are you doing?!" He climbs up the stairs.

"I've lost my appetite. Let's go sleep instead, princess." I blush like a tomato.

Princess?

* * *

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring ring. Ring ring. Ring ri-

I shut the alarm off, yawning and stretching afterward. The bed sheets rustle as I get up. Glaring at the clock, I read the cursed time:

5:00am.

Why am I awake at this time? Scratching my head, I mull over anything that may have encouraged me to wake up so early. The bed shifts again and I notice Bel's blond hair peeking out from under the blanket. I walk over to his side of the bed and smile. He looks so cute~ I've never seen Belphegor look so innocent and pure. Although he is still very immature, he's never looked so childlike.

I place a hand on the edge of the blanket and lift it up over his shoulders. Before I can take my hand from the blanket, another, very warm hand reaches out to grab mine.

"Bel?" He sighs and brushes his hair aside before watching me. I gape openly at seeing his eyes exposed. I've only seen them once before and that was years ago. It seems like they're watching my every move, taking me in as if I would disappear in thin air. "Your eyes..."

"I want to see clearly how my princess looks in the morning." My face erupts in red and I could probably cook eggs on my skin. What's going on with him?! He's acting so strange!

"B-Bel!" His serious demeanor vanishes quickly as his sits up in bed.

"Did you like that? Ushi~ You're so flustered!" He teases me. I blink and frown, standing up from the bed.

"Was that a joke? Don't play around like that!" Scolding him, I frown and try to calm the drumming in my chest. That was so out of character!

"The prince is a joker, but that was no joke. Tell me, Princess, did you like it?" Bel brings a knee to his chest and rests his cheek against it, once again exposing his eyes. They're so clear and light; they're entrancing despite how strange they are.

"I- I don't know! But I have to get ready!" I run around the room as he watches my panicking form with a frown. His princess was more complex than he thought.

"For what? Your number one priority now is me. Whatever you're doing, stop it now and answer me," Bel pouts as I run into the hall with a school uniform. He stands from the bed and follows me. I slam the bathroom door and turn the water on. The door raps, once, twice, three, fourfivesix-

"Bel! I'm showering!"

"Allow me to join you. I'll give you the pleasure of scrubbing my back. Ushi shi shi shi shi~" Seriously so strange! He's being so... I don't know! Perverted? No. Nice? Maybe...

"I can't, Bel! I have Disciplinary Committee duties!" I shower in a rush and jump out, drying myself before shoving my clothes on my half-wet form. All this lolly-gagging with Belphegor has made me waste so much time! Hibari is gonna have my head on a stake! The door slams open and Bel watches me burst out of bathroom.

"I don't appreciate you ignoring me..." He glares at me through his bangs. I dash downstairs and into the kitchen. Nope. Not here. Maybe in the living room? Peeking under the couches, I click my teeth in frustration. The armband! Where is it?!

"Bel? Have you seen my-" I whip my head around only to jump at his proximity to my face. He grins and holds up the bright, orange armband. "Oh! Thank you, Bel!" My hand reaches out to grab it, but he brings it out of my reach.

"Shi~" Belphegor giggles playfully.

"Bel! Now is not the time! Please give it back to me!" A foxy grin slowly inches onto his lips, threatening to split his cheeks.

"I don't think so~ Give me a kiss, princess. The prince deserves it. I found your precious armband after all. Ushi shi~" Reddening, I turn my eyes from his face and think of a way out of this situation.

"Can we compromise?" I try to bargain with the prince. However, he isn't having that.

"That's no fun. I want to play with you, princess~ Your face looks especially amusing when it's so red." Taking in a deep breath, I push him away from me and stand up. The armband isn't important, I try to convince myself. Bel's eyes shift toward me, somewhat surprised at my blatant rejection to his advances.

"B-Bel... I-I have to go," I say as I finally calm my heart. Sighing, I hesitate at the door, feeling a heavy sensation in my heart at rejecting him. Finally, I close and lock the door, leaving Bel inside. The walk to school feels especially hard today.

Did I do the right thing? I've never seen Bel so exposed to me. He placed so much trust in me by showing me his eyes. He called me princess. He asked for my approval. Is he...? No. No way. Bel is just toying with me.

I try to shake the thought away. When I get to Namimori, I can just focus on school and my Disciplinary duties.

* * *

Sighing, I look at the time on the huge clock outside the school. It reads an obnoxious five thirty am. As per usual, I was here on the prefect's request. Three whole hours earlier than school starts, no less. There's barely even sunlight; it's only now starting to peek over the west! But even so, the school grounds almost evoke a sense of... fondness. It's so quiet and void of the hustle and bustle of the student body. The grounds are well kept and the trees are full of blossoms and the fallen petals on the concrete are so perfectly placed they seem planned. I know in the back of my mind that this is all thanks to the prefect.

Despite his cold and cruel demeanor, the amount of love and meticulousness he pours into his dearest school speaks volumes on his character. And now that I think of it, I've never taken the time to wonder why he takes such great care of it. The brunette abuses the student body and their fear of him to enforce the rules and defend his vision of Namimori. With what he truly cares about, he places his greatest effort in protecting.

However strange it seems, I find myself appreciating him more and more.

I push open the doors to the school only to bump into someone.

"Ah! Cheyenne-san. I'm glad I saw you just before I left." Kusakabe smiles and adjusts his clothes and I do the same with my skirt. That makes me reflect.

"Leave? Why are you leaving?" My tone inquisitive as he clears his throat.

"Kyoya requested that I go find you since you're late, but here you are!" He laughs, eyes squinting with mirth. Seriously. Kyoya Hibari was seriously going to send Kusakabe to my house to bring me to school?!

"What's wrong with that guy...?" I mumble to myself.

"Let's not make him wait." Nodding in agreement, I tag along at Kusakabe's side as we stroll the hallways of the school. I remember when we were first year students- well, I was technically a high school student -and we were right next to the committee's office. Hibari likes to patrol the first floor more than any other floor, partially due to the fact that he had to strike fear into the hearts of the first year's. The older students knew better.

Aside from lessons, I truthfully spent more time in the committee office and the roof. And truthfully, my friendship with Hibari was completely unexpected and, at first, forced. But truthfully, I enjoyed his company.

"You've gotten close with him recently," Kusakabe comments out of the blue.

"I was just thinking of that. I like his company," I reply in earnest. The man chuckles.

"The two of you have matured _together_. I think you've done Kyoya some good." That makes me swell with pride. Our experiences together like our first encounter, detention, him getting sick, getting caught with him in Kokuyo high, Valentine's Day, the New Year's festival, Dino's training and every day I spent with him over two years have molded us. And now that I think about it, time has passed so quickly thanks to his entertaining antics.

"It feels great to be liked by someone who hates everyone." We share a look and laugh together. After some time, Kusakabe clears his throats and looks to me anxiously.

"Ah, Cheyenne-san, do you mind me asking you a favor?" Raising my brow, I watch his cautious expression.

"Of course not. What do you need, Tetsu?"

"Well, you see, Kyoya's birthday is coming up." For some reason, that information kind of shocked me. In the time I've known Kyoya, he's never mentioned his birthday nor have I bothered asking. It's so silly of me to forget that even Hibari Kyoya has a birthday.

"Come to think of it, I've never asked about his birthday in the past. It'd be nice to celebrate this year."

"Precisely why I'm telling you. I mentioned his birthday and he got angry with me."

"Typical."

"And I casually let my tongue slip on the fact that you were gonna celebrate his birthday this year and he kicked me out of the Disciplinary Committee room." I sigh and shake my head after the new information.

"Does he really hate that much?" Kusakabe turns to me, surprised.

"Hate you? You can't be further from the truth. He's quite fond of you, Cheyenne-san."

"What? You're crazy."

"He's comfortable enough with you to joke around. You're the only person allowed to call him Kyoya aside from me. Not only that, he's protective of you."

"No way. He abuses me any chance he gets!" I protest, which makes the taller teen shake his head vigorously.

"One of the members of the committee asked why you were a member when you were so weak. Kyoya happened to be there. I haven't heard from that member since." We turn a corner and start walking down the long hallway to the club rooms.

"That's-"

"That's why I want you to give Kyoya a surprise visit to his house this Friday," Kusakabe states seriously. We stop walking when he abruptly turns around to hand me a paper with an address written on it. After analyzing Hibari's address, I stare at his intense expression. This must be important to him...

"Tetsu, I can't do this. I can't believe his address is in my hand right now! Oh god, I have to burn my eyes now!"

"Cheyenne-san, trust me when I say that Kyoya really appreciates your friendship. Although he doesn't describe it with words, if you stop to pay attention to his subtle changes, maybe you'll realize that he treats you differently from everyone else." I avert my eyes to the paper again. Now that I look carefully, this is Hibari's handwriting: small, soft and connected. What a total, utter, complete and absolute contradiction.

I smile. I like it.

"What are you so amused by?" The prefect leans against the doorway of the Disciplinary Committee room with a smirk directed at me. I discreetly place the paper in my skirt.

"Nothing at all, Kyoya."

* * *

Nearly the whole day had been spent cooped up in the committee room stealing quiet glances at Kyoya. Pay attention to his subtle changes, huh? If being hit on the head more often constitutes as a subtle change, then I'd rather Hibari never change!

I laugh to myself and walk down the steps of Namimori middle. It was around six and Bel is surely waiting for me at home. Usually I left later, but I came to Hibari with the excuse that I had someone to feed. Not only that, but it was pouring outside and I was not going to stay in Namimori while it got worse. At least, that's what the prognosis was. He just called me an idiot and returned to his paperwork.

That's something else I noticed: Kyoya always listened to everything I said, whether or not it was silly.

He's a good listener.

And even just now when I bid my farewell, he watched me intently as I packed my stuff and teased me upon seeing me leave early. "I'll have double paperwork for you tomorrow, since you are leaving me to do it alone," he told me with a smirk.

I've noticed he's patient with me, recently. Everything I do seems to amuse him. In fact, he seems really annoyed when someone interrupts me.

"Kusakabe's right," I muse. After I walk down the last flight of stairs, I notice the crowd of students- Hibari will be upset about that -gathering near the entrance.

 _"Who's that guy?"_

 _"I've never seen him before."_

 _"He's creepy."_

 _"Look at his smile!"_

That seems to really strike me.

 _"Who's he waiting for?"_

 _"He's kind of cute..."_

 _"Kirigo! You weirdo!"_

After shoving the throng of people, I confirm my suspicions. Bel is standing there with a grin, bright yellow rain coat and boots and a duckling print umbrella. He notices me and walks forward to grab my hand and bring me under the umbrella.

"Bel! You can't come to school!" I tell him after we walk a distance away.

"Ushi shi shi shi shi~ Why not?"

"Well, first of all, the Vongola think you're in Italy! Who knows what they could do! And second, you stick out like a sore thumb!" He simply shrugs and grins at my scolding.

"I am the prince, so I will come visit you when I wish. It's not my fault I've missed my princess so much today." Sighing, I relent. He must get bored at home with no one to talk to or nothing to do.

"Just please don't cause too much trouble." Bel giggles. Looking at the sky, I smile. It's been raining a lot recently. Well, it's early May, after all. Early May... In three days, it'll be Hibari's birthday. Shutting my eyes, I slam my forehead. Gah! What am I going to do?!

A hand wraps around my hand and brings it to the handle of the umbrella. I turn to Belphegor who is looking at me.

"You have a bad habit of hurting yourself. Shi shi~" I giggle and rub the back of my neck. He brings an arm around my back before forcing my head onto his shoulder.

"Bel?"

"This is umbrella is small. You have to come closer to me." He pets my head. Sighing, I inhale his scent again. He smells like metal and cologne. It seems like everything about him just puts me at ease instantly. His warmth, his scent, his touch, everything. It's only natural; I've know him for ten years. We know each other like we know how to breathe.

"Thanks, Bel."

"Of course, princess." Although, this princess business is totally new to me.

"Why did you start calling me princess?" He grins and I see his grip on the umbrella tighten.

"Because someone told me I needed to try harder to keep you." I look forward at the pavement.

"Keep me?"

"Yes. I don't want a Vongola peasant to steal you away from me. And what is a prince without his princess? Ushi shi shi~" Those words send an electrical current up my body and straight to the pit of my stomach. Suddenly, my face gets hot and I know I'm blushing now. Who exactly told Belphegor all these things? My god, as if I don't have enough to deal with.

"O-okay." A hand reaches forward and covers mine on the handle of the umbrella. I blush more.

"You're still a little shy with the prince. That's good. Shi shi~"

"You're saying embarrassing things!"

"If we don't hold the umbrella properly, it will fall. Didn't you realize, princess? You're shaking~ Ushi shi shi shi shi~"

"Is that just an excuse to hold my hand?"

"You've caught me~ Your hand looked lonely. I decided to keep it company." Rolling my eyes, I laugh. What a cheesy response from him. As if I expected anything else. This is still the same Belphegor.

"What do you want to eat today?"

"You."

Ah, perhaps not.


End file.
